Criminological Theories

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Criminological Theories

• Positivism, Psychology and Sociology

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Biological Positivism

• Positivism scientific explanation of human
  action
• Biological Determinism -- anatomy is destiny
  (Freud)
• Early biological theories phrenology, atavism,
  born criminals, criminaloids

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Phrenology (Craniology)

• Franz Joseph Gall
• Concept brain is the site of personality
• shape of the human skull coincided with specific
  types of personalities and tendencies
• hence, to study the cranium (bumps and
  indentations) would provide an insight into
  character (and criminality)

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Gall

• 1. Specific aspects of personality are associated
  with specific locations in the brain
• some brain areas well developed others poorly
  developed
• shape of the skull will correspond to the over or
  under developed brain areas
• you can tell a book by its cover

5
Atavism

• Evolutionary throw-back (emergence of earlier
  biological traits in later ancestors)
• Cesare Lombroso criminal an atavistic being
  who reproduces in his person the ferocious
  instincts of primitive humanity and the inferior
  animals
• Studied the criminals body searching for
  atavistic traits to explain his behaviour

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Bodily features predict criminality

• Exceptionally long arms
• Index finger in length to middle finger
• fleshy pouches in cheeks (like rodents)
• eyes too close together or too far apart
• large teeth
• ears which lacked lobes
• prominent cheekbones

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Habitual Homicides

• Cold, glassy eyes, immobile and inflamed
• large, hooked, nose
• strong jaws and long cheekbones
• curly, thick hair
• thin beard
• long canine teeth
• Key principle born criminals

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• Crooked nose
• large amount of body hair
• protruding chin
• large lips
• unusual number of ribs
• eyes of differing hues or colours

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Types of criminals

• Born criminals (atavistic traits)
• criminaloids (environmental influence played a
  part)
• Criminals incited by passion (still lesser form
  of humanity - ruled by passion not reason)

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The scientific test

• Charles Goring (1913)
• Statistical test 3,000 inmates, students at
  Oxbridge, soldiers, hospital patients.
• Results? No connection between physical body
  traits and criminality.
• Earnest Hooten (1939) - gt13,000 inmates
• Results confirmed Lombroso (maybe)

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Hootens Massachusetts Criminal
Narrow face, jaw Thick beard Small ear lobes Thin
lips Facial prognathism facial asymmetry etc.
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William Sheldon (1950)

• Personality correlated with body types
• Endomorphs - soft, round bodies over-weight with
  large stomachs
• Mesomorphs - athletic and muscular large bones
  and muscular mass
• Ectomorphs - thin, fragile, long slender bones,
  poorly muscled
• Balanced types

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Body type personality

• Study 200 delinquents, 15-21
• Ectomorphs shy, inhibited, cerebral
• Mesomorph more likely to be delinquent -
  muscular and vigorous
• Endomorphs - less criminal jolly
• Stereotypes or what.

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Chemical Causation?

• Hypoglycemia - low blood sugar affects minds
  capacity to reason (too much insulin)
• 2. Refined white sugar --gt hyperactivity and
  aggression
• eg. Don White, former SF officer, murdered Mayor
  and Councilman in Mayors Office
• Evidence night before, stayed awake drinking
  Coke and eating many twinkies.

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Fact or Fiction?

• New England Journal of Medicine (1994)
• Careful experimental design -- no difference in
  behaviour or learning regardless of diet.
• Coffee? Food colour? MSG? -- all have been
  linked, not consistently.