Biological theories

• Biological theories to use

  Lombroso (physiological)

  Sheldons stomeotypes (physiological)

  
  

  Jacobs XYY (genetic)
• 1. Physiological theories


  Lombroso

  Sheldon
• Lombroso's theory (physiologcial)


  Believed that criminals have physical characteristics that make them more likely to have criminal tendencies

  -long jaws

  -small skull

  -atavistic
• Positives of Lombroso's Theory


  -behaviours are inherited, criminals had no choice

  
  

  - led to prevention rather than punishment

  
  

  -showed importance of looking at clinical records
• Negatives of Lombroso's Theory


  reductionist- Not everyone with atavistic features is criminal

  Scientifically racist- many atavistic features are specific to people of African descent
• Sheldon's Someotypes (physiological)


  Believed that criminals have a specific body type and temperament.

  endomorphs - relax and lazy

  ectomorphs - introverted

  mesomorphs - assertive and dominant (criminal)
• Positives of Sheldon's Theory


  -correlation to testosterone levels

  -Good sample size, and equally good control size to compare to.
• Negatives of Sheldon's Theory


  > Doesn't explain how ectomorphs and endomorphs can also be criminal.

  > Doesn't take into account that your somatotype changes from childhood to adulthood
• 2. Genetic theories

  Jacobs XYY
• Jacobs XYY theory (genetic)

  suggests criminals have an extra Y chromosome. (supermale syndrome)

  association with increased testosterone

  tend to be well built with low intelligence
• Negatives of XYY Theory


  -xyy subject to labelling - muscular and tall

  - cannot explain crimes in women

  -Focuses too much on genetics, ignores other factors, e.g. poverty and unequal society.
• Positives of XYY Theory


  - association between xyy and violent crime, Jacobs found that in general population 1/1000 had xyy but in prison 15/1000 had xyy, convicted serial killers such as john wayne cacy found to have it