A01: Historic Approach - Biological Explanation

• Lombroso's historical approach laid the foundations of profiling:

  • Lombroso (1876) an Italian physician, proposed that criminals were 'genetic throwbacks' - a primitive subspecies who were biologically different from non criminals. This is the 'atavistic form'.
• Biological approach - offenders lack evolutionary development:


  Offenders seen by Lombroso as lacking evolutionary development

  • Savage/untamed nature meant they find it impossible to adjust to civilised society & inevitably turn to crime
  • So Lombroso saw offending behaviour as innate tendency & thus proposed new perspective (for his time) that offender not at fault (lack free will) - inherited physiology, not responsible for actions
  • In this way his ideas were revolutionary.
• Atavistic Form - biologically determined:


  Lombroso argued the offender subtype could be identified by their physiological 'markers'

  • There 'atavistic' characteristics are biologically determined

  By possessing these physiological 'markers' these characteristics are biologically determined
• Cranial & other physical & emotional features

  Characteristics of the skull (cranium) included:

  • A narrow sloping brow
  • Strong prominent jaw
  • High cheekbones
  • Facial asymmetry

  Other physical features included:

  • Dark skin
  • Existence of extra toes, nipple or fingers

  Other aspects include:

  • Insensitivity to pain
  • Use of (criminal) slang
  • Tattoos
  • Unemployment
• Different types of offenders have different physical characteristics:

  Lombroso also suggested that particular physiological 'markers' were linked to particular types of crime

  • For example MURDERERS:
  • Bloodshot eyes
  • Curly hair
  • Long ears
  • Sexual Deviants were described as having:
  • Glinting eyes
  • Swollen/fleshy lips
  • Projecting ears
  • Fraudsters: thin lips
• Lombroso's research showed convicts had atavistic characteristics:

  Lombroso meticulously examined the facial & cranial features of 383 dead convicts and 3839 living ones (Italian convicts)

  • He concluded that 40% of criminal acts could be accounted for by people with atavistic characteristics
• Atavistic Form/Approach:

  • A historic approach to offending
  • Lombroso (1876) (Italian physician), suggest biological basis for criminal behaviour; suggest criminals inherited certain traits in their genetic makeup which made them an evolutionary 'genetic' throwback - primitive subspecies who biologically different from non criminals, who have characteristics with consistent with primitive humans
  • Argued inherent 'savage' nature made them incapable of adapting to societal norms, inevitable leading them to crime
  • Born with criminal personality, innate
• Atavistic Form/Approach is a Historical Approach based on Biological Explanation/factors