Biological and Psychological theory

Biological and Psychological Theories of Crime

The evolution of criminological theories includes the emergence of biological theories of crime, a relatively recent development credited to Cesare Lombroso, an influential Italian criminologist from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Traditionally, criminologists primarily focused on legal aspects, aiming to identify combinations of laws to reduce criminal behavior.

  • Lombroso's Shift in Focus: Lombroso diverged from tradition by shifting attention from legal frameworks to the individual criminal. He posited that certain individuals were more primitive, resembling living relics from an earlier human evolutionary stage. Lombroso claimed that these "primitives" could be identified through distinctive physical features, such as peculiar skulls, and were more predisposed to violent behavior.

  • Influence During the Progressive Era: During the Progressive era in America, Lombroso's theories found support among advocates for eugenics, a movement seeking to eliminate specific bloodlines. This period was marked by influential speeches and books by eugenicists, often with racial undertones, impacting state-level legislation. Similar racially charged claims were echoed by Nazi eugenicists.

  • Legacy and Humanitarian Efforts: Although eventually disproven, Lombroso's biological theories left a lasting impact on criminology. He advocated for the humane treatment of prisoners, arguing that work programs could equip them with skills for successful reintegration into society.

The Biological Theory

  • Core Concepts: The Biological Theory posits that individuals are born with inherent bio-psychological predispositions that shape their humanity. Each stage of human development represents a progression from lower to higher qualitative stages, linking asocial behavior and delinquency to early childhood experiences.

  • Importance of Developmental Stages: A significant focus of the theory is on puberty as a critical transitional phase. Adolescence is recognized as a sensitive period for emotional maturity, where specific psychological traits develop and pose risks for deviant behavior.

  • Exploration of Deviance: The paper delves into anthropological, bio-psychological, and psychological theories to understand the causes of deviant behavior, recidivism, and victimization among children and juveniles. It aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how biological factors intertwine with psychological and anthropological elements in the development of deviant behavior.