Historical approach

• What’s an atavistic form ?

  An early biological explanation for for criminal behaviour advanced by Lombroso.He made a more scientific basis for the study of crime.
• What did Lombroso say that criminals were?

  they were biologically different from non-criminals and criminals are genetic throwbacks.
• What were offenders seen by Lombroso ?

  Lacking evolutionary development.They were savage and untamed,couldn’t adjust to civil society so turned to crime and crime is rooted in genes (innate)
• Why were lombrosos ideas revolutionary ?

  The new perspective proposed offenders weren’t to blame for their actions 
• How can the sub type be identified?

  Via physiological markers.These are  linked to specific types of crime and mainly (but not exclusively) involve head and face.
• What’s the characteristics that offenders have,according to Lombroso?

  -narrow,sloping brow 

  -strong jaw

  -high cheek bones 

  -facial asymmetry 

  -dark skin & extra toes,nipples or fingers 

  -insensitivity to pain,use of slang,tattoos and unemployment 
• What are the characteristics of murderers?

  Bloodshot eyes,curly hair,long ears
• What’s are the characteristics of sexual deviants?

  Glinting eyes,swollen fleshy lips,projecting ears 
• What are the characteristics of fraudsters?

  Thin reedy lips 
• Do all offenders fit into the characteristics?

  -Fred West had dark curly hair, a narrow brow and a strong jaw (associated with murderers).

  -Peter Sutcliffe also had dark curly hair and a large ‘hawk-like’ nose.

  -Myra Hindley does not appear to fit Lombroso’s characteristics of a murderer based on her facial features.
• What’s some evaluations of Lombroso?

  :) contribution to criminology - 1st person to attempt the scientific study of behaviour and place - enabled development of offender profiling 

  :( evidence contradicts the link between atavism + crime  - goring found no evidence of unusual facial and cranial characteristics 

  :( didn’t control important variables in his research - lacks standardisation 
• What was lombrosos research ?

  -He studied the facial + cranial features of many Italian convicts 

  -383 dead and 3839 living criminals

  -concluded there was an atavistic form and that these features were key indicators of criminality 

  -concluded that 40% of criminal acts are committed by people with atavistic characteristics