[PHYSIOLOGICAL] Biological - Lombrosso

Question 1

[CESARE LOMBROSSO]

Give 3 atavistic features

Answer 1

Low sloping forehead
Large chins and lips
Long arms

Question 2

[CESARE LOMBROSSO]

Explain Cesare Lombroso’s theory

Answer 2

Criminals are ‘separate species’

Physical shape of the head and face determined the ‘‘born criminal’’

Said criminality was heritable

Criminals could be identified by their physical characteristics which indicated their biological inferiority

You can tell what kind of crime someone will commit based off their looks (E.G: Sex offenders - thick lips & protruding ears

Question 3

[CESARE LOMBROSSO]

Explain 3 strengths

Answer 3

+ Adds to nature/nurture debate (Lombroso says they were born)

+ Research shows - less attractive people are more likely to be found guilty and receive longer sentences

+ First theory that tried looking at inheritable traits

Question 4

[CESARE LOMBROSSO]

Explain 3 weaknesses

Answer 4

• Ignores criminal explanation for females
• Can lead to labelling and then self-fulling prophecy (if they look like a criminal they’ll become one)
• deterministic = facial features determines if someone’s an offender

Question 5

[CESARE LOMBROSSO]

Explain a methodological issue with his research

Answer 5

Looked at more dead criminals than alive ones - Makes it subjective

Question 6

[CESARE LOMBROSSO]

Explain Lombroso’s view on prisons

Answer 6

He believed prisons were criminal universities - Criminals were much worse when they came out as they were going in

Recidivism rate - people reoffend when they come out of prison

Question 7

[CESARE LOMBROSSO]

Explain Wu and Zhang’s evidence for Lombroso’s theory

Answer 7

Used a machine to detect features of the human face that are associated with criminality - ID photos of 1,856 Chinese men (half had previously been convicted)