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BIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF CRIME - Coggle Diagram
BIOLOGICAL THEORIES OF CRIME
LOMBROSO'S "criminal man"
Psychiatrist who carried out autopsies (late 19th century)
KEY IDEA- there are 'born criminals' who can be identified and measured
criminals are 'atavistic' - they are in a primitive stage of evolution
CHARACTERISTICS OF CRIMINALS
tattoos, unemployment, use of slang, lack of pain
Atavistic traits- ears too large/small, full lips, wrinkled skin, extended jaw bone, abnormal teeth, strange shaped head, beaked nose
CRITIQUE
Gonzales, Moll and Amantis (2005) - Lombrosos work has racist undertones and was 'not sociologies finest hour'
FEMALE CRIMINALS
under evolved and evil therefore more likely to commit crime
they have an excess of male characteristics
SOCIAL POLICY
Eugenics and selective breeding for humans
eugenics and mental health- 1920's, eugenics called for the ministry of health to enquire into the 'best method of dealing with mentally ill people in hopes to make sterilisation legal
eugenics and the Nazis- those seen as "degenerate" and "polluting the gene pool of the aryan race" were targeted for mass steralisation, killings and genocide
eg. jewish people, polish people, black people, gay people, Roma people, disabled people, people with substance abuse issues
SHELDON'S "somatotype" theory
saw criminals as physically different
certain body types are linked to criminal behaviour
STUDY- comparing young men in a detention centre and at a university
looked at muscle to fat ratio, hip sizes, head size, shoulder width, arms, legs, thighs etc.
3 SOMATOTYPES
ENDOMORPH
character- relaxed, sociable, tolerant, comfort loving, peaceful
shape- plump, buxom
MESOMORPH
character- active, assertive,vigarous
shape- muscular
most likely to engage in crime, more likely to be attracted to risk taking
ECTOMORPH
character- quiet, fragile, restrained, non-assertive, sensitive
shape- lean, delicate, poor muscles
SOCIAL POLICY
Beashel and Taylors sports theory
mesomorphic sporting- excels in strength, agility and speed
ectomorphic sporting- dominate endurance sports and gymnastics due to slight build
JACOB
et al
XYY theory
genetic condition in which a male (XY) has an extra Y chromasome
these men have an increase in aggression- "super males"
STUDY- chromosome survey at a maximum security hospital in Lancashire, Scotland (1965)
found that 9/315 patients had the extra chromasome = men in prison are 15x more likely to have XYY than in the non prison population
many XXY's are taller than average, have an increased risk of learning disabilities and have an increased risk of behavioural, social and emotional difficulties
physical features- belly fat, large head, large teeth, flat feet, widely spaced eyes, scoliosis
TWIN AND ADOPTION STUDIES
TWIN STUDIES
christiansons study- if one identical twin had a criminal conviction, there was a 52% chance the other one would. if one non-identical twin had a criminal conviction, the chances of their twin having one is 22%.
ADOPTION STUDIES
Mednick
et al
study
there is a 20% chance of a child having a criminal record if their birth parent did and a 14.7% chance if their adoptive parent did
BRAIN INJURIES
some brain injuries lead to more aggressive personalities leading to criminal behaviour
diseases such as dementia and brain tumours can be linked with deviant behaviour
STUDY- brain injuries and the prison population
found that 60% of prisoners have had head injuries, head injuries can cause ADHD
SOCIAL POLICY
headway, the brain injury association provides ID cards detailing the effects of brain injuries
justice project to educate people working in the criminal justice system
BIOCHEMICAL THEORIES
SEX HORMONES
MALES- overproduction of testosterone is linked with rape and murder
FEMALES- PMT, post natal depression and breastfeeding involve fluctuations in hormones which impact judgement and self control and have all been used as partial defences for crimes
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
substances are linked with violence eg, alcohol is heavily associated with violence within the family
BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS
hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) can cause increased aggression and is linked with alcohol abuse
SOCIAL POLICY
DRUG TREATMENTS
Antabuse- treats alcoholism by making the user illl as alcohol can no longer be broken down by the body
methadone- offered in a controlled environment to ween heroine addicts off the drug
stilbestrol- female hormone given to sex offenders to suppress effects of testosterone
DIET
serotonin may be lacking in violent offenders and is treated with a diet rich in salmon and tuna
reducing sugar decreased antisocial behaviour by 48%
diet high in vitamins and fatty acids reduced antisocial behaviour by 57%