LO2 – CRIMINOLOGICAL
THEORIES
,BIOLOGICAL THEORIES
,Physiological Genetic Neural
Lombroso XYY chromosome Brain injury
Sheldon Twin studies – Christensen Neuro-chemistry
Adoption studies – Mednick
, PHYSIOLOGICAL
1. Lombroso’s theory
- Characteristic and facial features of an organism mean there more likely to com
crime
- In 1876
- Criminals can be identified by their distinctive physical features e.g. murders ha
‘aquiline’ noses whereas ‘thieves’ are more flat, bigger lips = sex offender, curly
with big ears = serial killer
- Criminals have atavistic features, said they were less evolved and homo-delinqu
Viewed them as ‘born criminals’ and a ‘us and them’ mentality
- Other types: ‘insane criminals’, ‘epileptic’ and ‘criminaloids’ (environmentally)
Strengths
- Challenge ideas that criminals are just evil or that they choose to commit
- There are criminals that suit the idea e.g. Ian Brady, Fred West (high ecological v
- Not influenced by religion, the first ideas
Weaknesses
- Not all criminals have atavistic features, only 40% of criminals had them
- self-labelled and self-prophieces
- Scientific racism – people with atavistic features tend to be of African decent
- Sample of only Italian criminals from photos with no control group and no varied
offenders (low population validity)
- Leads to stereotyping and racism
THEORIES
,BIOLOGICAL THEORIES
,Physiological Genetic Neural
Lombroso XYY chromosome Brain injury
Sheldon Twin studies – Christensen Neuro-chemistry
Adoption studies – Mednick
, PHYSIOLOGICAL
1. Lombroso’s theory
- Characteristic and facial features of an organism mean there more likely to com
crime
- In 1876
- Criminals can be identified by their distinctive physical features e.g. murders ha
‘aquiline’ noses whereas ‘thieves’ are more flat, bigger lips = sex offender, curly
with big ears = serial killer
- Criminals have atavistic features, said they were less evolved and homo-delinqu
Viewed them as ‘born criminals’ and a ‘us and them’ mentality
- Other types: ‘insane criminals’, ‘epileptic’ and ‘criminaloids’ (environmentally)
Strengths
- Challenge ideas that criminals are just evil or that they choose to commit
- There are criminals that suit the idea e.g. Ian Brady, Fred West (high ecological v
- Not influenced by religion, the first ideas
Weaknesses
- Not all criminals have atavistic features, only 40% of criminals had them
- self-labelled and self-prophieces
- Scientific racism – people with atavistic features tend to be of African decent
- Sample of only Italian criminals from photos with no control group and no varied
offenders (low population validity)
- Leads to stereotyping and racism
