lombroso

Question 1

strength: scientific

Answer 1

Lombroso was the first person to study crime scientifically, using objective measurements to gather evidence. Previously crime was seen as a moral or religious issue.

Question 2

strength: Butcher & Taylor

Answer 2

Butcher & Taylor (2007) suggest that less attractive individuals are more likely to be considered criminals.

Question 3

strength: records

Answer 3

His research showed the importance of examining clinical and historical records of criminals.

Question 4

strength: accounting factors later work

Answer 4

His later work took some limited account of social and environmental factors, not just heredity.

Question 5

weakness: control group

Answer 5

Lombroso failed to compare his findings on prisoners with a control group of non – criminals. Had he done so, he may have found the same characteristics among the general population; in which case, his explanation would be invalid.

Question 6

weakness: generalisable

Answer 6

Not everyone with atavistic features is a criminal and not all criminals have them.

Question 7

weakness: DeLisi

Answer 7

Scientific racism - DeLisi (2012) indicated that many of the atavistic features defined are specific to people of African descent.

Question 8

weakness: research since

Answer 8

Research since Lombroso has failed to show a link between facial features and criminality.