2.1

• Biological Theories Of Criminality

  Focuses on the idea that physical characteristics makes people more likely to commit crimes. Criminal tendencies can be genetic and therefore inherited from family members. Therefore, these theories would argue that a person is 'born bad'
• 4 areas of Biological Theories Of Criminality

  • Physiological Theories
  • Genetic Theories
  • Brain Injuries and Disorders
  • Biochemical Explanations
• Genetic Theories


  Argues crime is passed down from parent to child. Theories date back to the 1700s.
• Criminal Family Case Studies

  • The Kray Twins
  • The Persico Family
  • The Gotti Family
• The Kray Twins


  Reggie and Ronnie Kray, operated in London (East End), committed extortion, gambling, control of nightclubs, arrested in 1968, convicted of murder and received life sentences
• The Persico Family


  Carmine and Alphonse Persico, mainly operated in New York, committed racketerring, extortion, organised crime, Carmine Persico serving lengthy prison sentences
• The Gotti Family


  John Gotti Sr and Jr, mainly operated in New York, committed murder, illegal gambling, loan sharking, John Gotti Sr arrested and convicted of various charges in 1990
• Twin Studies


  This area would argue that a heritable trait may increase risk for criminal behaviour. Genetic theories have used studies of identical twins to test this theory.
• Monozygotic Twins


  Identical twins from the same fertilised egg, share 100% of their DNA
• Dizygotic Twins


  Twins from two separate eggs, share 50% of their DNA
• Concordance


  Both twins share a characteristic, there is said to be a concordance rate
• Monozygotic twins are likely to have a higher concordance rate than dizygotic twins
• Christian's Study (Denmark)


  52% concordance rate between MZ twins where one identical twin had a conviction, 22% concordance rate between DZ twins
• Ishikawa and Raine


  44% concordance rate between MZ twins and 21.6% with DZ twins
• Johannes Lange (Germany)


  10/13 MZ twins had both served time in prison vs 2/17 in DZ twins
• Adoption Studies


  Principle of explaining behaviour based on the comparison of criminals with both their biological and adoptive parents. Considers the idea of nature vs nurture.
• Nature


  Inherit a predisposition to criminality, advocates for biological interventions, considers the structure of the brain
• Nurture


  Highlights the role of upbringing and family, role of conditioning is emphasised, negative experiences/lack of opportunity
• An interactionist theory would argue that both nature and nurture play a role
• Hutchings and Mednick (1975)


  Studied 14,000 adopted children and found a high proportion of boys with criminal convictions had biological parents with convictions too
• Mednick et al. (1994)

  Found no relationship between the number of criminal convictions of adoptive parents and their adoptive children, but did find a relationship between the biological equivalent
• It is important to know whether or not adoption took place soon after birth, as this can impact the influence of nature vs nurture
• Jacob's XYY Study


  Criminal behaviour might be attributable to chromosomal abnormality.
• XYY Syndrome


  An abnormality where a person has an extra Y chromosome, characterised by men who are tall, well built and low intelligence. It has been argued that men with XYY syndrome are likely to be more aggressive and potentially violent.
• Evidence for the XYY syndrome theory is largely based on imprisoned criminals such as those in psychiatric hospitals, many of whom have a history of aggression and violent assault
• John Wayne Gacy is an example of a case study with an individual who had an XYY chromosome, he sexually assaulted, tortured and killed at least 33 men in the USA
• Physiological Theories


  This theory focuses on the believe that a person's physical form as an indicator of criminality. The most referred to are Lombroso and Sheldon.
• Cesare Lombroso - Father of Modern Criminology


  Pioneered the use of scientific methods in criminology, argued that a criminal was a separate species, a species that is between modern and primitive humans, stated that a 'born criminal' could be determined by the physical shape of the head and face
• Physical features Lombroso argued were present in criminals


  • Large or forward projection of the jaw
  • High cheekbones
  • Flattened or upturned nose
  • Low, sloping forehead
  • Long Arms relative to lower limbs
  • Large Ears
• Lombroso claimed that criminality was heritable and that those who committed crimes had atavistic or primitive features, arguing that criminals were like 'savages' or even apes
• Strengths and Limitations of Lombroso's Theory


  Strengths: First study to study crime scientifically using objective measurements, highlighted the importance of examining clinical and historical records of criminals, started to incorporate some social/environmental factors. Limitations: Later research failed to support the link between facial features and criminality, fundamentally racist approach, lack of control group.
• Besides physical traits, Lombroso also suggested other aspects of a born criminal could include insensitivity to pain, use of criminal slang, tattoos and unemployment.
• Sheldon's Somatotypes Theory


  William Sheldon advanced a theory that certain body types or 'somatotypes' are linked to criminal behaviour, categorising three body types: endomorphs, ectomorphs, mesomorphs.
• Endomorphs


  Rounded, soft and tending to fat, lacking muscle or tone, with wide hips. Their personality is social, relaxed, comfortable and outgoing.
• Ectomorphs


  Thin and fragile, lacking both muscle and fat. They are flat chested, narrow hips and shoulders, a thin face and high forehead. Personality is self-conscious, fragile, inward looking and emotionally restrained/thoughtful.
• Mesomorphs


  Muscular and hard bodied, little fat and strong limbs, broad shoulders and narrow waist. Personality is adventurous, assertive and enjoys physical activity.
• Sheldon argued that endomorphic (fat and soft) body types tend to be social and relaxed, while mesomorphic (muscular) body types tend to be more adventurous and assertive.
• Endomorphs


  Rounded, soft and tending to fat, lacking muscle or tone, with wide hips. Their personality is social, relaxed, comfortable and outgoing
• Ectomorphs


  Thin and fragile, lacking both muscle and fat. They are flat chested, narrow hips and shoulders, a thin face and high forehead. Personality is self-conscious, fragile, inward looking and emotionally restrained/thoughtful
• Mesomorphs


  Muscular and hard bodied, little fat and strong limbs, broad shoulders and narrow waist. Personality is adventurous, assertive and enjoys physical activity