Lombroso: The atavistic form

• What was Lombroso's theory?

  • That criminals have certain features: enormous jaws, high cheek bones, an insensibility to pain and have desended from savages and apes.
  • Believed that criminality was inherited and criminals could be identified by physical defects that confirmed them being savages or atavistic.
  • Criminals have physiological indicators that link to different types of crimes.
• What are the strengths/positives of lombroso's theory?

  • Supporting research found that real criminals are identified 83% of the time in an artififical intelligence programme in China after looking at their facial features.
  • Lombroso was influential in giving criminology scientific credibility and proposed the idea that criminals might not chose to be evil.
• What are the limitations and weaknesses of lombroso's theory?

  • Not everyone with atavistic features is criminal and not all criminals have atavistic features- must be another factor determining criminality
  • DeLisi (2012) states the atavistic theory is scientifically racist, many of the atavistic features are specific to people of African descent, implying that they are criminals.
  • Lombroso's theory may lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy- someone might fell like they are 'determined' to offend because of their characteristics so they won't do anything to prevent it.