Physiological theories

• Lombroso born criminals - criminals were physically different , from a more primitive stage in revolution and with atavistic features (low sloping fore head ,large ears) , Lombroso studied 3839 living criminals and 383 dead and concluded 40% of criminal acts can be due to these atavistic features .
• Lombroso - stated different criminals had different features .

  • Thieves had flattened noses
  • murderers had aquiline noses like a beak

  -criminals were pre -social so were unable to control impulses and have reduced sensitivity to pain.In modern society they’re ‘abnormal’ and ‘savages’
• Lombroso strengths :

  • First person to study criminals scientifically
  • Challenged the idea criminals were evil - their criminality was innate and therefore not exercising free will.
  • his work has been used in offender profiling - his theory has practical applications
• Lombroso weaknesses:

  • Didn’t use a control group
  • Goring carried out same research using a control group and found no significant difference -reduces validity
  • Doesn’t take into account environment eg the features being from poor childhood nutrition
  • Some of the research is socially sensitive involving skin-colour and race - this reaffirms damaging stereotypes
  • the theory is deterministic - suggesting they don’t make the choice to commit crime leads to individuals not taking responsibility for their actions
• Sheldon’s somatotype - criminals are physically different , certain body types lead to criminal behaviour .

  • Endomorphs=rounded , lacking muscle , sociable , fat , relaxed , wide hips
  • Ectomorphs=thin , fragile , self-conscious , lack fat and muscle , flat chested , inward looking
  • Mesomorphs=muscular , little fat , strong , triangular , adventurous , domineering , active
• Sheldons research :

  • examined photos of 4000 scantily clad men - he found criminals prone to committing violent crimes were mesomorphs
  • He also used a sample group of college students and delinquents , rated on a scale of 1-7 of mesomorphy . The results showed delinquents had a higher mesomorph rating than the students (4.6)
• Sheldons strengths:

  • Large sample size and control group - increases validity
  • Glueck and Glueck found in a sample of delinquents 60% were mesomorphs 31% weren’t - support.
  • His research of delinquents having a 4.6 mesmorph rating compared to non-criminal students having 3.8 supports his theory .
• Sheldons weaknesses:

  • doesn't explain why endo and ectomorphs commit crime
  • A persons somatotype isn’t fixed - it’s changes due to excersise , environment ect
  • Mesomorphs can take part in criminality due to the way society treats them - Sheldon doesn’t account that it may not be mesomorphs build that makes them criminal it’s societies stereotypes.