Early Theories of Criminology
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Questions and Answers

What is a key factor for punishment to be an effective deterrent to crime?

  • The punishment must be immediate and certain. (correct)
  • The punishment must be presented as a moral lesson.
  • The punishment must be severe enough to instill fear.
  • The punishment must be public and well-publicized.

    • Which of the following was NOT a specific reform proposed by the Classical School?

  • Laws should be accessible and clear.
  • Criminal matters should be dealt with publicly.
  • People should be executed for minor offences. (correct)
  • Judges should only determine guilt and administer punishment.

    • What principle does the Classical School emphasize regarding judicial and legislative systems?

  • Judges should create laws based on personal judgement.
  • They should be merged to ensure consistency.
  • Police should have greater legislative powers.
  • There should be a clear separation between the two. (correct)

    • What limitation was identified in the Classical School's approach to penalties?

    <p>Equal punishments did not account for individual circumstances.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect of the Classical School contributed to legal reform in Canada?

    <p>The establishment of equality before the law.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What primary belief influenced theories of crime prior to the 18th century?

    <p>Evil spirits and magic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which explanation from Judeo-Christian teachings posits that humans have the ability to choose their behavior?

    <p>Temptation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What criticism was directed towards the Classical School of criminology?

    <p>It neglected biological factors in crime.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What key principle did the Positive School emphasize in understanding crime?

    <p>Biological causes of behavior.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did beliefs in supernatural influences affect societal views on criminal behavior prior to the Enlightenment?

    <p>Unusual behaviors were attributed to evil spirits.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the theories prior to the 18th century suggest about the nature of wrongdoers?

    <p>They were possessed by evil spirits.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What outcome did the Positive School advocate for as a result of its findings on crime?

    <p>Rehabilitation over punishment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a key principle of the Classical School?

    <p>Individuals act out of free will and rationality.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which body type is characterized as having an easygoing personality?

    <p>Endomorph</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What personality trait is associated with Mesomorphs?

    <p>Aggressive</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Goddard's findings regarding prisoners' IQs suggested that most had a mental age of what?

    <p>12</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a significant consequence of the eugenics movement in North America?

    <p>Sterilization of individuals with intellectual disabilities</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What criticism was directed toward Goddard's research on IQ?

    <p>It ignored environmental factors.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Research claiming a link between biological deficiencies and crime is described as what?

    <p>Unfounded</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a risk of assuming biological differences between groups?

    <p>Rationalizing differential treatment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Early theories of crime were primarily influenced by what?

    <p>Superstition and religious beliefs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the main focus of Beccaria in his work 'An Essay on Crime and Punishments'?

    <p>To highlight the need for humanitarian reforms in the justice system.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the Classical theory of crime, what assumption is made about individuals who commit crimes?

    <p>They believe it will improve their status.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key premise of the Classical theory regarding human behavior?

    <p>Humans are rational thinkers who weigh consequences.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect of punishment is emphasized by Classical theorists?

    <p>Punishment should fit the crime and be proportionate.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Beccaria advocate regarding the administration of justice in the eighteenth century?

    <p>Reform to prevent cruelty and arbitrariness in justice.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did Classical theorists view the relationship between crime and rationality?

    <p>Crime involves a rational calculation of benefits and risks.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What principle of justice is proposed by Classical theorists?

    <p>Justice must be swift, certain, and not excessive.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a major appeal of the theories accepted at the time?

    <p>They blamed the individual rather than society.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What societal condition do Classical theorists believe individuals must accept in exchange for security?

    <p>Giving up some freedoms for a safer society.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did Lombroso categorize criminals?

    <p>By their physical appearance and stigmata.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which group did Lombroso consider to have fewer stigmata than men?

    <p>Women.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a characteristic of 'criminals of passion' according to Lombroso?

    <p>Their crimes were driven by strong emotions such as love or politics.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What flaw was identified in Lombroso's scientific methodology?

    <p>Comparison groups were chosen unsystematically.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following categories did not include individuals with mental illness?

    <p>Criminals of passion.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a significant issue with Lombroso's measurements?

    <p>They were often sloppy and disorganized.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why did Lombroso's theories attract a following during criminal trials?

    <p>They provided a clear rationale for punishing offenders.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Lombroso's key belief regarding the treatment of criminals in the justice system?

    <p>Treatment should be individualized based on the type of criminal.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Dr. Charles Goring conclude from his comparison of 'normal' males and English convicts?

    <p>Criminals were not physically distinct from others.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What significant flaw was identified in Goring's research methods?

    <p>He only selected criminals from prisons.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What were some physical characteristics identified by Hooton that differentiated criminals from non-criminals?

    <p>Low foreheads and high pinched nasal roots.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What movement arose as a result of Hooton's advocacy for segregation of individuals he deemed unfit?

    <p>Eugenics movement.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which researcher developed somatotype theory in the 1950s?

    <p>William Sheldon.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a significant finding of Goring's research about criminals?

    <p>Mental inferiority is a genetically transmitted trait.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Lombroso believe about born criminals?

    <p>They should be incarcerated to protect society.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Early Theories of Criminology

    • Prior to the 18th century, theories of crime were largely based on religious beliefs and superstition, attributing criminal behaviour to evil spirits and magic.
    • People ascribed unusual natural phenomena to the actions of evil spirits.
    • This led to the belief that any pathology in human behaviour was directly related to evil spirits.
    • Judeo-Christian teachings offered two perspectives: Temptation (free will, temptation by the Devil) and Possession (wrongdoers possessed by evil spirits).
    • During times of social upheaval, religious and political elites blamed social problems on evil spirits in an attempt to control rebellion.
    • Drawing and quartering was a common, brutal punishment during the Middle Ages.
    • Witches were scapegoats. The accused were mostly women, particularly those economically independent and not protected by a male. Their presence threatened male-dominated power structures in communities.
    • Thousands of people were executed for witchcraft between the 15th and 17th centuries.

    Pre-18th Century Critique

    • The scientific revolution during the Enlightenment brought about a change in thinking. The focus shifted from religious superstition to naturalistic explanations based on reason and observation.
    • Enlightenment philosophers argued that society is composed of free and rational human beings. This led to calls for more individual rights and freedoms, and the social contract notion: Individuals willingly give up some freedoms for a safer society, and the state has to ensure the safety of all citizens without violating their rights.

    Classical School

    • The Classical school is considered the first formal school of criminology.
    • It emerged in the 18th and early 19th centuries, leading to reforms in the justice system and prisons.
    • Cesare Beccaria, in his "Essay on Crime and Punishments" (1764), highlighted the cruelty, inhumanity, and arbitrariness of the existing justice system in England (350 capital offences!).
    • He argued for a more humane and proportional punishment that fit the crime.

    Classical Theory of Crime

    • People voluntarily enter into a social contract with the state, giving up some freedom for a safer society.
    • The state must provide security without abridging citizens' rights.
    • Citizens are expected to obey the laws, and face punishment from the state for violations.
    • Crime is a rational decision to advance personal interests.
    • The purpose of punishments is to deter individuals from committing crime based on the consequences of their actions.

    Classical Theory Principles

    • Justice should not be excessive or unfair; punishment should fit the crime and social consequences
    • Effective deterrents require severe, swift, and certain punishment that exceed the potential gains from crime.

    Specific Classical School Reforms

    • People should no longer be executed for minor offences.
    • Criminal matters should be dealt with in public courts according to the dictates of the law.
    • Laws should be clear and accessible to all.
    • Lawmaking power of the legislature should be separate from the role of judges.

    The Classical School: Assessing the Contributions

    • These reforms provided a foundation for progressive criminal law and justice systems in Canada and other countries.
    • Emphasis on equality before the law, rights of citizens, and establishment of fixed penalties.

    Limitations of the Classical School

    • Equal punishments for the same crime did not allow for flexibility or consideration of the offender's circumstances or motives.
    • Judges had no discretion to individualize penalties; the same penalty would be applied to both a wealthy individual and a poor individual who committed the same criminal act.

    Neoclassical School

    • Neoclassical criminologists sought flexibility within existing rigid justice systems.
    • Considered individual factors (for example, age, socio-economic status, mental competence), mitigating circumstances, and motives.

    Statistical School

    • The Statistical school emerged in the first half of the 19th century, using statistics to study crime and social issues.
    • It associated with positivism, attributing crime to natural causes, and rejected the Classical school's notion of free will and rationality.
    • Crime was viewed as the result of social factors (poverty, population density, inequality).
    • Scholars gathered data to provide insights into the risk for crime.
    • The regularity of crime over time and space suggested the involvement of social forces.
    • Social circumstances have a bearing on choices and behaviours.

    Lombroso and the Positive School

    • Lombroso used the scientific method to compare criminals and non-criminals.
    • He attributed crime to biological factors ("atavistic" tendencies), suggesting that criminals were less evolved than non-criminals.
    • Lombroso's observations used flawed methodology; the comparison groups were unsystematic.
    • His work influenced the use of stigmata to categorize criminals (physical traits) - epileptics, criminals of passion, criminaloids, etc.

    The Positive School: Impact/Critique

    • Although Lombroso's biological theories were flawed and discredited, the Positive School's focus on scientific methods and consideration of individual differences laid the groundwork for probation, parole, indeterminate sentences, and consideration of mitigating circumstances.
    • Later researchers, such as scientists Charles Goring and Earnest Hooton, also identified physical characteristics and traits (e.g., social classes, lower intelligence) that were associated with committing criminal acts.

    Crime and Physical Characteristics and Intelligence: Critiques

    • The studies involving physical characteristics and intelligence were primarily flawed by unscientific methodologies, inaccurate measures, and a lack of proper controls.
    • Often, criminals were solely evaluated within a prison environment, neglecting the role of social factors affecting behaviour or lack of access to proper controls.
    • Nevertheless, the poor methodology, assumptions, and prejudices of these theories led to policies that were unethical and discriminatory, such as the eugenics movement.

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    Early Theories Of Criminology PDF

    Description

    Explore the historical beliefs surrounding crime before the 18th century, where superstition and religious views dominated understanding. Discover how evil spirits and magic were thought to influence criminal behavior, and how societal upheavals shaped these theories. Learn about the harsh punishments and scapegoating of individuals, particularly women, in this context.

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