biological explanation-atavisitc

• Criminal personality


  Individuals are born with a criminal personality and is a throwback to earlier species
• Lombroso's theory


  • Criminals were genetic throwbacks to a primate sub species who were biologically different to non-criminals
  • Criminals were seen as savaged, untamed, and lacking evolutionary development
• Lombroso's research


  1. Examined 383 dead criminals' skulls

  2. Examined 3839 living criminals

  3. Concluded that 40% of crimes could be explained by atavistic form (entire sample Italian)
• Physical characteristics of criminals


  • Strong prominent jawline
  • High cheekbones
  • Facial asymmetry
  • Dark skin
  • Existence of extra toes, nipples, or fingers
• Physical characteristics of murderers


  • Bloodshot eyes
  • Curly hair
  • Long ears
• Many modern researchers have branded Lombroso and his atavistic theory as racist. For example, just because an individual had certain atavistic characteristics, does not mean that they are or are destined to become criminal. Following this logic, it appears that certain races are more likely to become criminal than others, such as African Americans, amongst whom curly hair is common. Therefore, this may have lent itself to giving ‘scientific justification’ for discriminatory practices.
• Physical characteristics of sexual deviants


  • Glinting eyes
  • Swollen fleshy lips
  • Projecting ears
• Seen by many as unscientific. The dated methodology adopted by Lombroso did not use statistical analysis or a control group from another culture and non-criminals. Since the entire sample was Italian, findings cannot be applied to another other culture over concerns of imposed etic. Comparisons with a control group of non-criminals are needed to establish statistical significance. Researcher later completed a study and found no significant differences between criminals and non-criminals, except the prisoners were slightly smaller.
• One strength is Lombroso took a more interactionist approach. He considered it was unlikely that only one factor could be responsible, so he proposed that the inherited atavistic form would also interact with the environment the individual lived in. therefore Lombroso is considering the impact of more than one factor as a cause for criminal behaviour. However, it is still considered deterministic as he is proposing that factors outside individuals’ control are responsible.