Schmall crim today8e_ppt_ch4

Criminology TodayAn Integrated Introduction

CHAPTER

Criminology Today: An Integrated Introduction, 8eFrank Schmalleger

Copyright © 2017 by Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved

Early Biological Perspectives on Criminal Behavior

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Traditional Biological versus Modern Biosocial Theories

• Criminology has been slow to give credence to biological theories.

• Roots grounded in the social sciences• Criminology today is interdisciplinary

and recognizes contributions from many disciplines.



Principles of Biological Theories

• Early biological theorists focused mainly on physical features and heredity.

• Contemporary biosocial theorists take a more in-depth look at human biology.

• Major distinction is the emphasis placed on the interplay between biology and the social and physical environments.



Figure 4-2 Fundamental Assumptions of Biological Theories of Crime CausationSource: Schmalleger, Frank, Criminology. Printed and Electronically reproduced by permission of Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.



Early Biological Theories

• Built on scientific tradition of positivism• Positivism

Associated with the belief that all valid knowledge is acquired only through observation

• Key principles Social determinism Application of scientific techniques to

the study of crime



Physical Features and Crime

• Phrenology The study of the shape of the head to

determine anatomical correlates of human behavior

Franz Joseph Gall located the roots of personality in the brain.

Johann Gaspar Spurzheim brought phrenology to the U.S.



The Italian School

• Cesare Lombroso Atavism• Criminality is the result of primitive urges

that survived the evolutionary process. Stigmata of degeneration – physical

features indicative of criminality

continued on next slide



The Italian School

• Lombroso's work contributed to field of criminal anthropology. Scientific study of relationship between

physical characteristics and criminality




The Italian School

• Lombroso's categories of offenders Atavists, or born criminals Insane Criminaloids• "Occasional criminals" led into crime by

environmental influences Criminal incited by passion




The Italian School

• Masculinity hypothesis Criminal women exhibited masculine

features and mannerisms.



Evaluations of Atavism

• Charles Buckman Goring Failed to find support for thesis of

atavism• Earnest A. Hooton

Criminals are physiologically inferior to the general population.




Evaluations of Atavism

• Canadian study (2000) found subtle physical abnormalities were associated with an increased risk of behavioral and psychiatric problems among boys.



Constitutional Theories

• Explain criminality by reference to: Offenders' body types Genetics External, observable physical

characteristics




Constitutional Theories

• Ernst Kretschmer Proposed relationship between body

build and personality type• William H. Sheldon

Endomorph Mesomorph Ectomorph



Figure 4-3 Sheldon’s Body TypesSource: Printed and Electronically reproduced by permission of Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.



Criminal Families

• Sir Francis Galton Systematic study of heredity contributed

to field of behavioral genetics• Criminal families

The Juke family• Richard L. Dugdale

The Kallikak family• Henry H. Goddard




Criminal Families

• Eugenic criminology Root causes of criminality were passed

down in the form of "bad genes."• Genetic determinism

Genes are the major determining factor in human behavior.

• Buck v. Bell (1927) Supported Virginia statute permitting

sterilization



The XYY Supermale

• Research in 1965 led to concept of "supermale" with XYY chromosome. Considered potentially violent Led to attempted use of chromosome-

based defense in court• Recent research has concluded that XYY

males are not predictably aggressive.



Twin Studies and Heredity

• Twin studies compare MZ and DZ twins to examine role of heredity in crime causation.

• Research supports relationship between heredity and risk of criminality.

• Minnesota Twin Family Study found MZ twins reared apart are about as similar as those reared together.



Biological Roots of Human Aggression

• Charles Darwin Interspecies aggression favors the

strongest and best animals in the reproductive process




Biological Roots of Human Aggression

• Konrad Lorenz On Aggression (1966) Human aggression serves other

purposes but takes on covert forms (drive to acquire wealth and power).

Human behavior is adapted instinctive behavior.



Sociobiology: The New Synthesis

• Introduced by Edward O. Wilson in 1975• Systematic study of the biological basis

of all social behavior• A new paradigm in criminological

theories Brought renewed attention to biological

theories in social sciences





• The main determinant of behavior is the need to ensure the survival and continuity of genetic material throughout generations.

• Altruism facilitates the continuity of the gene pool.





• Territoriality explains much human conflict. Explain both intergroup aggression

(tribalism) and intragroup aggression



Criticisms of Sociobiology

• Fails to consider significance of culture, social learning, individual experiences

• Fundamentally wrong in its depiction of basic human nature

• Rationalizes labeling, stigmatization of minorities

• Humans are too different from other animal species to apply findings from animal studies to human behavior.



Critique of Early Biological Theories of Human Behavior

• Disregard the role of free will in human behavior

• Crime is a social construct and its meaning varies over time and place.

• Unlikely that any biological feature or combination of features could explain the wide variety of crime today

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