Biological explanations of offending behaviour: historical approach (lombroso)

+Lombroso credited for his scientific realm

Before Lombroso, criminality was often seen from a religious perspective (devil influence)

Lombroso work was an attempt to bring explanations for criminality into the realms of science

• referred to as ‘the father of modern criminology’

-critics have drawn attention to the distinct racial undertones in lombrosos work

Many features Lombroso identified as criminal are most likely to be found amongst those of African descent (curly hair)

Suggests theory was highly subjective influenced by racial prejudices of the time

-Lombroso did not compare his sample of criminals to a non-criminal control group

Contradictory evidence: Goring

Conducted comparison between 3000 criminals to 3000 non-criminals & concluded there was no evidence to suggest that criminals are a distinct group with unusual physical characteristics

(Does not support Lombrosos theory of atavistic form)

-Lombrosos method of investigation was poorly controlled

Failed to control important important variables

• did not compare his offender sample to a control group(non-criminals)

→would of controlled for any confounding variables

+Nature or nurture

Atavistic form suggests that crime has biological cause -genetically determined

But facial & cranial differences may be influenced by other factors (poverty/diet)