Biological theories (2.1)

• lambroso

  Criminals are physically different from non criminals
• he Measured heads and faces of criminals
• Criminals can be identifies by distinctive physical features
• For example, enormous jaws, high check bones, large eye sockets
• Different types of criminals could be identified by different features, for example murderers have aquiline noses, thieves have flat noses
• Strength

  His research showed importance of clinical and historical records of criminals
• Strength

  lambroso was the first person to study crime scientifically
• Strength

  Lambroso helped us focus on how to prevent further offending
• Limitations

  Other researchers failed to show a link between facial features and criminality
• Limitations

  Lambroso failed to compare his findings on a control group of non criminals
• Limitations

  By describing criminals as 'primitive savages' he equates non-western societies with criminals, which is a form of racism
• Lambroso saw criminals as throwback to earlier stages of evolution
• They were pre-social, unable to control their impulses, and had reduced sensitive to pain
• They are only abnormal in modern society
• Lambroso sees them as a separation from 'normal people'
• There are other types of criminals such as insane criminals and epileptic criminals
• Somatotypes

  Sheldon saw criminals as physically different to non criminals
• The three somatotypes are mesomorph, ectomorph and endomorph
• Mesomorph is muscular with broad shoulders and narrow hips
• Ectomorph - thin frame with long limbs and little muscle mass
• Endomorph - round body shape with wide hips and thighs
• Mesomorphs are adventurous, sensation seeking, and asserting
• Endomorphs are self conscious, fragile, and thoughtful
• Endomorphs are sociable, relaxed, and comfortable
• Genetic theories

  Crime is passed down from parent to child
• Crime often runs in families
• A study showed out of 397 families, half of all convicted came into just 23 families (5% of whole group)
• Twin studies

  Family members who share the same genes may have 'criminal genes'
• Strengths

  Others have replicated sheldons findings and found 60% of offenders were mesomorphs
• Strength

  Most seriously delinquents in his studies were the ones with most extreme mesomorphic body shapes