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 considered to be the founding theory of modern criminology. He aimed to investigate if criminality was heritable & originally thought that criminals were born, not made.

• Lombroso argued that criminals constituted a biologically distinct class of people who could not adapt to modern morality & possessed primitive characteristics (e.g. strong jaws, heavy brows & below-average intelligence). For example, he considered murderers to have bloodshot eyes, strong jaws & curly hair.

• Lombroso identified several cranial characteristics which included: 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.

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 away from moral discussion towards a more scientific approach.

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

• Explain: This suggests that 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 shape modern criminality today.

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 is ethically problematic as it suggests that certain groups of people are inherently pre-disposed 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 ignores environmental influences on crime.

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

• Explain: This suggests that Lombroso’s theory lacks a clear cause & effect relationship, as having atavistic characteristics does not necessarily cause criminal behaviour.

• Link: Therefore, criminals could actually be made, not born, due to a range of environmental factors (e.g. peer groups & family members) as proposed by the differential association theory.