SOCI 304 Lecture 2: Week 2 Notes
20 Feb 2017
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Lombroso was an army physical and subsequently worked in an asylum. Lombroso"s theory on crime surpassed classical theories to make biological explanations. Over a 25 year old period, lombroso defined and redefined his theory on the criminal. Lombroso"s theory on crime (1876) became the most predominant of biological explanations of crime, laying the foundation for the positivist school. Crime is the result of biological differences between criminals and normal individuals. Criminals are not as evolved as other individuals because they are atavistic, savages in the midst of modern society. Their primitive or savage states causes criminal behavior. Throughout medical exams of criminals, lombroso found that criminals were biologically inferior to other individuals. Also developed a set of traits to distinguish born criminals from others. Lombroso"s later works indicate that he began to believe that both biological and environmental factors play a role in crime.
