Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is a central idea of biological theories of crime?
What is a central idea of biological theories of crime?
- Physical characteristics can make some individuals more prone to criminal behavior. (correct)
- Economic inequality is the root cause of crime.
- Everyone is equally likely to commit crime, regardless of biology.
- Criminal behavior is primarily learned from society.
Which physical feature did Lombroso NOT associate with criminality?
Which physical feature did Lombroso NOT associate with criminality?
- Large eye sockets
- Enormous jaws
- Delicate hands (correct)
- High cheekbones
What is the term Lombroso used to describe individuals driven to crime due to environmental factors?
What is the term Lombroso used to describe individuals driven to crime due to environmental factors?
- Epileptic criminals
- Criminaloids (correct)
- Atavistic criminals
- Insane criminals
According to Lombroso's now-discredited theories, what facial feature was associated with sex offenders?
According to Lombroso's now-discredited theories, what facial feature was associated with sex offenders?
What did Lombroso call the characteristics that suggested criminals were throwbacks to a primitive stage of evolution?
What did Lombroso call the characteristics that suggested criminals were throwbacks to a primitive stage of evolution?
Which of these is a feature that Lombroso associated with 'born criminals'?
Which of these is a feature that Lombroso associated with 'born criminals'?
What type of criminals did Lombroso classify as those committing crimes during a seizure?
What type of criminals did Lombroso classify as those committing crimes during a seizure?
What did Lombroso study in order to form his theories about the causes of crime?
What did Lombroso study in order to form his theories about the causes of crime?
Flashcards
Biological Theories of Crime
Biological Theories of Crime
Theories suggesting physical traits make some individuals more prone to crime, potentially inherited.
Genetic Theories of Crime
Genetic Theories of Crime
Biological theories that link criminal behavior to inherited genetic factors.
Biochemical Explanations of Crime
Biochemical Explanations of Crime
Biological explanations that attribute criminal behavior to hormones or other chemical factors.
Cesare Lombroso
Cesare Lombroso
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Atavistic Criminals
Atavistic Criminals
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Criminal Physical Traits
Criminal Physical Traits
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Insane Criminals
Insane Criminals
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Criminaloids
Criminaloids
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Study Notes
- Biological theories propose that physical characteristics predispose individuals to criminal behavior.
- These criminal tendencies can be inherited genetically, suggesting some individuals are inherently predisposed to crime.
Physiological Theories
- Focus on physical attributes of criminals.
Genetic Theories
- Posit that criminality is inherited.
Brain Injuries and Disorders
- Suggest they can lead to offending behavior.
Biochemical Explanations
- Explore the role of factors like hormones in criminal activity.
Cesare Lombroso
- An Italian physician and psychiatrist who laid the groundwork for modern criminology.
- Studied the nature of crime, criminal motivation, and habits.
- Focused on physical differences between criminals and non-criminals, examining facial features, body type, and tattoos.
- Theorized that criminals are born with primitive evolutionary throwbacks.
- Criminals were physically different from non-criminals.
- Criminals could be identified by key features such as enormous jaws, high cheek bones, large eye sockets and prominent eyebrow arches, ear shape and/or long arms.
- Studied facial and cranial features of 383 dead criminals and 3839 living ones.
- Believed 40% of criminal acts could be attributed to these atavistic characteristics.
- Murderers had bloodshot eyes, curly hair, and aquiline noses.
- Sex offenders had thick lips and protruding ears.
- Thieves had flattened noses.
- Other characteristics of "born criminals" include insensitivity to pain, use of criminal slang, tattoos, and unemployment.
- Insane criminals are intellectually/morally deficient, such as psychopaths.
- Epileptic criminals commit crimes during seizures and are legally insane.
- Criminaloids' criminality is caused by environmental factors, not biology.
University of China Study
- Used an artificial intelligence program to analyze ID photos of 1856 Chinese men.
- The AI wrongly flagged innocent men as criminal 6% of the time.
- The AI correctly identified 83% of the real criminals.
Strengths of Lombroso's Theory
- It paved the way for subsequent advancements in explaining criminality.
- It spurred the creation of more modern theories that are built on research and solid scientific evidence.
Limitations of Lombroso's Theory
- It lacks scientific evidence to support it.
- There's no causal relationship between specific traits and criminal tendencies, although some similarities among criminals may exist.
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Description
Biological theories suggest that physical traits can predispose individuals to criminal behavior. Genetic factors play a role, suggesting some people are inherently predisposed to crime. Cesare Lombroso's work focused on physical differences between criminals and non-criminals.
