Biological theories - Historical

Who put forward atavistic form

Cesare Lombroso

Atavistic form

That criminals are genetic throwbacks and biologically different from non-criminals. The criminal tendency was rooted in the genes, so the offender couldn’t be blamed for their actions. Criminals can be distinguished by their cranial features.

Lombroso research

Examined the skulls of 383 dead convicts and 3839 living convicts, all Italian.

Lombroso findings

Concluded that 40% of criminal acts were committed by people with atavistic features.

Lombroso’s conclusion

There is an atavistic form and there features were key indications of criminality. Different physiological markers linked to different crime types.

Criminal characteristics

Strong, prominent jaw, dark skin, extra digits.

Murderer’s characteristics

Bloodshot eyes and curly hair

Sexual deviants characteristics

Glinting eyes, swollen lips and sticky out ears.

Eugenics

A set of beliefs and practices that aims to improve the genetic quality of the human population. Demonstrated by the Nazi’s.

Evolutionary development

Offenders lack evolutionary development, meaning they are unable to fit in with society and therefore turn to crime

Shanghai AI study outline

In 2016 two scientists claimed to be able to use computer algorithms to distinguish criminals from non criminals based on physical appearance.

Shanghai study outline

Collected 1,856 ID photos, of which 730 were criminals. Sample of between 18-55 year olds with no distinguishing features. Once the computers had been trained, they were able to distinguish ID pictures with 90% accuracy.

Shanghai study findings

Criminals had the most unique faces that differed both from the norm and each other. Whereas law abiding citizens held a greater degree of resemblance to each other.

AO3 - revolutionary

Lombroso shifted research emphasis away from moralistic discourse to a more scientific discourse (evolutionary influences). Credited with creating the first stage of offender profiling and therefore a major contribution to criminology.

AO3 - Matt DeLisi

The theory is full of racist undertones. Many features Lombroso identified as atavistic (dark skin, curly hair) are features of people of African descent. Therefore guessing Africans are more likely to be offenders. This fit with the racial prejudice of the time shows its bias and subjective nature.

AO3 - Goring

Investigated if there was physical atypicality in offenders. Comparison between 3000 offenders and 3000 non-offenders. Found no evidence that there was a distinct offending group with different cranial features. Therefore unlikely that offenders are genetically different.

AO3 - nature vs nurture

Lomroso’s work raises the question of whether criminals are born or made. Atavistic form suggests crime has a biological cause and is genetically determined. However some cranial features may be a result of poverty and poor diet and Atavistic form isn’t necessarily the cause of a persons crimes.