Early biological theories: Lombroso's atavistic form

What name is given to Lombroso’s theory?

Atavistic form theory

Lombroso was interested in what aspect of criminality?

Whether it was heritable

Lombroso claimed that criminals constituted a biologically distinct class of people who could not adapt to modern morality & had a tendency to show what type of characteristics?

Primitive (relating to or denoting the character of an early stage in the evolutionary development of something)

According to Lombroso, what were the biological characteristics of a murderer?

Bloodshot eyes, strong jaw & curly hair

What name is given to characteristics of the skull, as investigated by Lombroso?

Cranial

What are cranial characteristics Lombroso identified as being linked to criminality?

• A narrow, sloping brow

• A strong, prominent jaw & high cheekbones

• Facial asymmetry

Aside from cranial characteristics, what are examples of other physical features Lombroso linked to crime?

Dark skin & the existence of extra fingers, nipples or toes

What are examples of non-physical traits that Lombroso linked to crime?

• Insensitivity to pain

• Use of criminal slang & tattoos

• Poor education & unemployment

What phrase has been linked to Lombroso about criminals?

Criminals were ‘born & not made’

Outline and evaluate Lombroso's research into the atavistic form (16 marks)

Write your AO1 paragraph

• Lombroso’s atavistic form theory was generally considered to be the founding theory of modern criminology. He aimed to investigate if criminality was heritable.

• Lombroso claimed that criminals constituted a biologically distinct class of people who could not adapt to modern morality & had a tendency to show primitive characteristics (e.g. strong jaws, heavy brows, lower than average intelligence, etc). One example is that Lombroso considered murderers to have bloodshot eyes, strong jaws & curly hair.

• Lombroso identified several cranial characteristics including a narrow sloping brow, a strong prominent jaw, high cheekbones & facial asymmetry. Other factors included dark skin & the existence of extra fingers, nipples or toes.

• Non-physical traits were also linked to crime, such as insensitivity to pain, use of criminal slang, tattoos, poor education & unemployment.

• Lombroso originally thought that criminals were ‘born & not made’.

Outline and evaluate Lombroso's research into the atavistic form (16 marks)

Write your strength AO3 PEEL (scientific approach)

• Point: One strength of Lombroso’s atavistic form theory is that he shifted the emphasis of criminology from moral discussion towards a more scientific approach.

• Evidence: For example, Lombroso began to use scientific techniques of analysis in his research of the skulls of 383 dead & 3,839 living people & found 40% of criminal acts could be accounted for by atavistic characteristics.

• Explain: In so doing, Lombroso helped establish criminology as a scientific discipline, encouraging objective investigation & data collection rather than subjective judgement.

• Link: As such, Lombroso is viewed as the father of modern criminology & has helped to shape modern criminality today, especially the genetic & evolutionary explanations shared by modern day biological theorists.

Outline and evaluate Lombroso's research into the atavistic form (16 marks)

Write your strength AO3 PEEL (modern day offender profiling)

• Point: One strength of Lombroso’s atavistic form theory is that it laid the foundation for modern offender profiling techniques.

• Evidence: For example, Lombroso was the first scientist to move criminology to a more scientific discipline based on evolutionary explanations & genetics.

• Explain: Although modern profiling rejects his biological determinism, it builds on the idea that studying consistent traits across offenders can reveal useful insights into criminal behaviour.

• Link: As such, this is useful as modern day offender profiling techniques can help to reduce suspect pools, making it easier to identify perpetrators of crimes, thus saving police resources & time.

Outline and evaluate Lombroso's research into the atavistic form (16 marks)

Write your limitation AO3 PEEL (eugenics)

• Point: One limitation of Lombroso’s atavistic form theory is that it is criticised for supporting the eugenic philosophies of the time.

• Evidence: For example, many of the atavistic features that Lombroso linked to criminality are associated with those of African descent (e.g. large protruding lips, a wide nose & curly hair).

• Explain: This association aligns his theory with ethically problematic practices, as it implies that certain groups are inherently predisposed to criminality based on appearance or heredity, which is arguably a form of scientific racism.

• Link: Overall, this has been linked with controversial eugenic philosophies which, today, have serious negative racial undertones.

Outline and evaluate Lombroso's research into the atavistic form (16 marks)

Write your limitation AO3 PEEL (biologically deterministic)

• Point: One limitation of Lombroso’s atavistic form theory is that it suffers from biological determinism, as it fails to account for environmental factors that could cause the atavistic elements supposedly causing crime.

• Evidence: For example, some of the features classed as atavistic characteristics could actually be the result of diet, illness or poverty (e.g. prominent bones could be the result of malnutrition).

• Explain: This suggests Lombroso’s theory lacks cause & effect, & even if criminals possess atavistic characteristics, it doesn’t necessarily mean that these cause offending.

• Link: Therefore, criminals may not be born as Lombroso first proposed, but could be made due to a range of environmental factors, such as peer groups & family members as proposed by differential association theory.