Atavistic form

Question 1

historical approach to offending

Answer 1

IN 1876, Cesare Lombroso wrote a book in which he suggested that criminals were genetically primitive sub species, who were biologically different from non-criminals

Lombroso saw criminal behaviour as a natural tendency
as criminals lacked evolutionary development. Their savage and uncivilised nature meant that they would find it impossible to adjust to the demands of civilised society and would inevitably lead them into crime.

Question 2

Atavistic form

Answer 2

Criminal sub-species could be identified by a set of particular physiological characteristics which were biologically determined as Atavistic characteristics, mainly features of the face and head which indicate that criminals are physically different.

Question 3

Atavistic characteristics

Answer 3

atavistic form includes a strong prominent jaw, high cheekbones and facial asymmetry. Other features included dark skin and extra toes, nipples or fingers

besides physical traits, other characteristics included insensitivity to pain, use of criminal slang, tattoos and unemployed

Question 4

Lombroso study

Answer 4

Lombroso examined the facial and cranial features of Italian convicts, both living and dead and proposed that the atavistic form was associated with a number of physical anomalies which were key indicators of criminality

Lombroso examined a total of 383 dead criminal and 3839 living criminal skulls, concluding that 40% of the criminal acts could be accounted for using atavistic form as an explanation

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Question 5

Atavistic form positive evaluation

Answer 5

• The Atavistic form had an important role in shifting away from theory based explanations for criminality to more biological explanations which are scientific and objective

Question 6

Atavistic form negative evaluation

Answer 6

• Atavistic form has been criticised due to distinct racial undertones in Lombroso’s work. Many of the features he described as Atavistic (e.g. dark skin) are most likely found in people of African descent. His claim that atavistic characteristics were uncivilised and savage supported the eugenic philosophy
• Goring set out the establish any physical or mental abnormities among criminals. He compared 3000 criminals and 3000 non-criminals and concluded that there was no particular differences in facial and cranial characteristics for criminals. HOWEVER, he did suggest that criminals are more likely to be below average intelligence
• Lombroso did not compare his findings to a non-criminal group where if he had done this then the differences he had reported may have disappeared
• Even if criminals have atavistic characteristics this does not suggest that these cause criminal behaviour. Facial and cranial features can be influenced by poverty and poor diet, which can also lead people to crime