FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY Biological explanations Aim: to explore and evaluate early biological approaches to offending.

Learning Objectives By the end of the next couple of lessons, you will be able to: Outline and evaluate the atavistic form’s (historical approach) explanation of offending behaviour. Outline both the genetic and neural explanation of offending behaviour. Explain the role of twin studies in investigating genetic influence on criminal behaviour.

Brainstorm How do you think the biological approach could explain offending behaviour? - come up with as many ways as possible. We will look at: Atavisitic form; body type; genetic neurochemical and brain structure explanations. What methodology is used to investigate these areas? We will look at twin studies; family studies; adoption studies and brain scanning. What are the main issues and debates? Nature/nurture; gender bias, freewill, reductionism We are applying what you already know from the bio approach to the topic of explaining offender behaviour

The biological approach has levels of explanation Brain structure – damage, dysfunction, immaturity Neural explanations (brain chemistry) e.g. neurotransmitters - Hormones Genetic Epigenetic Reductionism is explaining something at its simplest level

Draw a typical cartoon criminal ? Get students to draw the typical criminal and we will compare them to uncover the underlying common features

Draw a criminal Compare your drawings with each other. What common features did you draw? Asymmetrical Face Super long arms Receding chin Excessive Jawline Eye defects More than the usual number of fingers and toes Twisted, flattened or upturned nose Get students to draw the typical criminal and we will compare them to uncover the underlying common features Acquiline or Beak-like nose Unusual ear size

Who looks more likely to be an offender? Why? Answer: both are offenders! Baby p mother and Amanda Knox.

What is the Atavistic Form? an early biological explanation which proposed that criminals are a sub-species of genetic throwbacks that cannot conform to the rules of modern society. Such individuals are distinguishable by particular facial and cranial characteristics.

Atavistic Form Atavus (latin) = Ancestor Atavistic means the tendency to revert to an ancestral type. Lombroso said that offenders possess similar characteristic to lower primates and this could explain their criminality. “An explanation for criminal behaviour suggesting that certain individuals are born with a criminal personality and this innate personality is a throwback to primate forms – determined by their physiological makeup.”

Biological Explanations of “criminal” behaviour Cesare Lombroso: Published his book “L’Uomo Delinquente” in which he claimed there were physical differences between criminals – Homo delinquens – and non-criminals – Homo sapiens.

Cesare Lombroso – The Father of modern Criminology (?) I investigated the facial and cranial features of hundreds of Italian convicts both living and dead. After examining 3,839 living criminals, I concluded that 40% of the crimes were accounted for by atavistic characteristics. How did Lombroso’s ideas pave the way for offender profiling? Why did this propel criminology into a scientific sphere of understanding? Nolonger ‘evil spirits’ being the cause of criminality Lobroso did not think it was their fault for being criminal

In 1876 Lombroso argued that ‘the criminal’ is a separate species, a species that is between modern and primitive humans. He argued that the physical shape of the head and face determined the "born criminal". Victorians believed it was possible to spot a criminal by his features. This idea was part of a tradition known as physiognomy, the idea that a person’s character and intellect could be read in the head and face.

Lombroso argued that criminals were a separate species, ‘a throw back’ species somewhere between modern and primitive humans. Clearly he was influenced by Darwin’s theory of evolution. He called this retarded species ‘homo delinquens’.

Other non-physical traits: Cesare Lombroso (Italian physician) . . . criminals are “genetic throwbacks” with ATAVISTIC features: Criminals: Strong, prominent jaw High cheekbones Dark skin Extra toes, nipples or fingers Murderers: bloodshot eyes,, curly hair and long ears Sexual deviants: Glinting eyes Swollen, fleshy lips Fraudsters; Thin and reedy lips Other non-physical traits: Unemployment, tattoos and use of criminal slang

                                                 

He believed these subhuman creatures displayed characteristics useful for survival in the wild in primitive times, but could not adjust socially or morally to a modern civilised society. These biologically predisposed criminals were incapable of distinguishing right from wrong, showed no guilt or remorse and, because they had no feelings for others, were unable to form deep meaningful, loving relationships.

Think about how films represent bad guys They are usually presented as particularly unattractive!

However, there isn’t much evidence in support of Lombroso’s theory. The final nail in this particular coffin  Basically his research was methodologically flawed. He did not use proper controls. So he didn’t check to see if the ‘criminal’ characteristics were present in the non-criminal population. The criminal samples he used were often mentally disturbed or suffering from chromosomal abnormalities. Goring (1913) compared the physical features of 3,000 convicts with 3,000 non-criminals and found no significant difference in any features. He did uphold the view that criminals generally have a below average intelligence level.

Why might Lombroso’s research lack scientific rigor Why might Lombroso’s research lack scientific rigor? What improvements could be have made to his study? How might we factor in environmental effects on physical characteristics? Kaplan 1980 ‘self-derogation’ theory , the way they look leads to low self esteem and increased frustration/aggression so more likely to commit crime = interactionist

Socially Sensitive DeLisi (2012) argued this theory was an example of scientific racism because many of the ‘atavistic features’ are specific to people of African descent.

Eugenics: genetically “unfit” people should be prevented from breeding. What is the link between this and Lombroso’s ideas?

Are certain body shapes linked to crime? The idea that personality is linked to body type dates back to the time of Hippocrates. He drew up a list of typologies of physiques and tried to link them to character traits. “Let me have men about me that are fat; Sleek-headed men and such as sleep o’nights; Yond Cassius has a mean and hungry look; He thinks too much; such men are dangerous”. Julius Caesar Act 1 Scene 2

Somatotypes (Soma=body) Kretschmer (1921) studied 4,000 criminals and suggested that criminals fall into four somatotypes which have connotations with various crimes: Leptosome – tall and thin petty thieves Athletic – tall and muscular (crimes of violence) Pyknic – short and fat (crimes of deception and violence) Dsyplastic or mixed (More than one type of crime, or Crimes against morality (e.g. prostitution).

Biological Explanations of “criminal” behaviour William Sheldon believed that people could be classified into three body shapes, which correspond with three different personality types. endomorphic (fat and soft) tend to be sociable and relaxed. ectomorphic (thin and fragile) are introverted and restrained mesomorphic (muscular and hard) tend to be aggressive and adventurous. Sheldon found that many convicts were mesomorphic, and they were least likely to be ectomorphic In an attempt to develop a scientific theory, William Sheldon (1942) drew up his own classification system in which he related physique to characteristics that included delinquency.

Sheldon rated people on a scale of 1-7 according to the amount of each component they showed. The average ‘balanced’ body build was rated 4-4-4 Using full length photographs Sheldon rated 200 college students and 200 male delinquents on each of the body types. He later found criminal delinquents were mainly mesomorphs.

Sheldon

These findings have been supported Cortes & Gatti (1972) conducted a study of 100 institutionalized delinquents and found that 57% were mesomorphic and 16% ectomorphic compared with 19% and 33% respectively for controls.

Which gender is prone to criminal behaviour? Men or Women

These theories are ANDROCENTRIC This means they take a completely male perspective and ignore the female experience or perspective entirely

GENDER BIAS: Lombroso had androcentric ideas about women GENDER BIAS: Lombroso had androcentric ideas about women. He believed that women are: Naturally jealous Insensitive to Pain Passive Low in intelligence But women have a maternal instinct which neutralises negative traits making them less likely to be criminals. Women who became criminals had masculine characteristics which are fine in a man but creates a monster in a woman… What is ANDROCENTRIC? Describes a predominantly male perspective that often minimizes or completely excludes the female experience and perspective.

98% of sexual offenders, 80% of criminals are male 10.12.2006 20:19

Evaluation of the historical approach Lombroso brought science to the study of crime! He based his ideas on empirical observation and detailed measurements. He revealed that crime may not simply be as a result of free will. (Promotes Fairness) Lack of control in the method: Lombroso did not give the same attention to non-prisoners as he did for prisoners when studying their ‘atavistic form’ Charles Goring (1913) after comparing 3000 criminals with 3000 non-criminals, He found no differences except for the fact that criminals were smaller and had below average intelligence.

Kaplan (1980) Self-derogation theory… an interactionist approach Kaplan suggested that people with features described as ‘atavistic’ may actually be treated differently because of the way they look. This may lead to low self esteem, frustration and may make them more likely to commit criminal behaviour

Evaluation of the historical approach Support for Kretschmer’s Somatypes: Glueck (1970) found that delinquents were mesomorphs, equivalent to the athletic type. Sheldon (1949) studied 200 young adults and found differences between criminals and non-criminals in terms of body type. This supports the idea that criminals can be identified by their physical features. What is ANDROCENTRIC? Describes a predominantly male perspective that often minimizes or completely excludes the female experience and perspective.