Atavistic form

• What is the historical explanation for offending behaviour?

  The historical explanations for offending behaviour originate from lombroso who challenged older explanations of criminality by publishing his scientific theory of the atavistic form in 1876, using careful biological measurements from over 4000 living and dead criminals. 
• what is the atavistic form?

  The atavistic form states that criminals are genetically at a more primitive state of human evolution than non criminals, suggesting that criminality is innate. It can be identified by several physical features such as a symmetrical face, heavy brows, abnormal ears, and a prominent jaw. Lombroso found that different types of criminals have different physical features e.g. thieves with an upturned nose and murderers with a hooked beak nose. 
• what are the strengths of historical explanations

  scientific method - empirical evidence from lombroso

  positive outlook - offenders should not be held responsible meaning the focus is now on treatment rather than punishment
• what are the weaknesses of historical explanations?

  lombororso only studies criminals and there was no control group

  socially sensitive - can lead to eugenic practices

  reductionist - ignores external factors like drug abuse.

  opposing evidence from Goring in 2009 compared 3000 offenders with 3000 non offenders and found no significant differences in the facial and cranial characteristics of the two groups.