Part 2

• Biological theories of criminality


  Theories that suggest criminality is inherited or caused by physical traits of individuals
• Physiological theories


  Theories that suggest criminality is caused by the physical traits of individuals
• Assumptions of physiological theories


  • Criminality is inherited from family members
  • Criminality is caused by hormones or other chemicals
  • Criminality is caused by the physical traits of individuals
  • Criminality is caused by abnormalities or neurological differences compared to non-criminals
• Physiological theories


  • Tumours can affect brain function
  • Facial features or body shape
  • High levels of testosterone are linked to aggression
  • It could be inherited from a parent
• Cesare Lombroso


  Italian physician and psychiatrist who laid the foundations for modern criminology and produced works on the nature of crime, criminality, criminal motivation and criminal habits (now discredited)
• Cesare Lombroso was interested in the physical differences between criminals and non-criminals
• Cesare Lombroso studied signs of criminality including facial features, body type and tattooing
• Cesare Lombroso's theory of "Atavism"


  The idea that criminals are throwbacks to an earlier, primitive stage of evolution. They were pre-social, unable to control impulses, and had reduced sensitivity to pain.
• Cesare Lombroso claimed that 40% of criminal acts could be accounted for by atavistic (ancient or primitive) characteristics
• Cesare Lombroso suggested that you could tell what kind of crime someone would commit based on their physical features, e.g. murderers had bloodshot eyes and curly hair, sex offenders had thick lips and protruding ears, thieves had flattened noses
• Cesare Lombroso also suggested other key characteristics exhibited by "born criminals" included insensitivity to pain, use of criminal slang, tattoos, and unemployment
• William Sheldon


  American psychologist devoted to observing human bodies and temperaments, renowned for his study of the human physique (or somatotypes)
• Sheldon's Somatotypes Theory


  The idea that there are three fundamental body types - ectomorphs (thin and fine-boned), mesomorphs (square and muscular), and endomorphs (rounded and soft) - and that these body types are linked to certain personality traits and criminal tendencies
• Sheldon examined 4,000 photographs of men and found that delinquents had a higher average mesomorphy rating compared to college students (4.6 vs 3.6)
• Mesomorphs


  Most likely to engage in crime and be attracted to the risk-taking it involves, due to their physique and assertiveness
• Ectomorphs are the least likely criminals according to Sheldon's theory
• Lombroso's theory suggests that criminals can be identified by their distinctive facial features, while Sheldon's theory suggests they can be identified by their body type
• The physical appearance of serial killers like Fred West, Peter Sutcliffe, Ian Brady, and Myra Hindley does not clearly fit Lombroso's or Sheldon's theories
• The physical appearance of the Kray twins does not clearly support the findings of Lombroso or Sheldon