BIOLOGIC

Case nº:

AL
PERSPECTI
VE OF
CRIME
UNIT 5 Clas
i fied
Biological Perspective of Crime

01 Positivist Theory

02 Theory of Somatotyping

03 Biochemical Theory

04 Genetic Theory

05 Latent Trait Theory

 01
Positivist Theory
This theory was iniated and popularized
by the Italian School of Criminology
spearheaded by Cesare Lombroso.
 Criminals are classified as:

Born Criminal
An individual who has material defects
and considered as stigmata that causes
him to become criminal. He called them Insane Criminal
as atavist.
Individuals who commit crimes because of
Criminaloid mental and moral deterioration.

Individuals who committed a crime

because of passion.
Charles Buckman
Goring
- in 1913, verified the theory of
avatism bu comparing 2,348 convicts in
London. He included that convicts were
feebleminded and having an unsound mind.
Earnest A.
Hooton
- A Havardian Anthropologist,
conducted the same study in
1939.
- He found out that prisoners
habing criminal behavior were
biologically inferior and
physically unpleasant.
- He termed this as an
inferiority complex.
 The Concept of Biological Determinism
Biological Determinism
An idea that agrees all human behavior is innate, determined by genes, brain size, or
other biological attributes. This theory stands in contrast to the notion that human behavior is
determined by culture or other social forces.

ARISTOTLE CAROLUS LINNAEUS ACCORDING TO LEWONTIN

He theorized that there
are species in which
distinction is already
marked, immediately at
birth, between those
members whose intention is
to rule the society.
divide the human Biological Determinism
race into four categories : is an articulated theory of
• Red human social existence that
• Yellow provides a complete explanation
• White of the hierarchical structure of
• Black present human society as both
natural and unavoidable.
 02
Theory of Somatotyping
 This theory was introduced by WILLIAM
SHELDON, an American psychologist who spent
his life observing the varieties of human
bodies.
Three types of body type and their respective temperaments

• Ectomorphs are thin and fragile.

Their bodies are described as flat-chest, slim, lightly muscled, and with a
smaller shoulder. Their personality is usually being nervous, uncomfortable, inventive,
considerate, silent and reserved. They enjoy motivation intellectually and feel
uncomfortable in social situations.

• Endomorphs are persons having a soft and fat physique.

They have undeveloped muscles, and round body build. They often have
difficulty losing weight. Sheldon described endomorphs as being peaceful, contented,
agreeable, calm, friendly and open-minded.

• Mesomorphs are muscular with thick skin and have excellent posture.
Their personalities are courageous, confident, competitive, and unafraid.
 Classification of Human Physique According to their Physical Attributes by
Ernst Kretschmer
• Aesthenic
Individuals classified as aesthenic have thin, small, and weak extremities.

• Athletic
Individuals with a significant and excellent body built.

• Pyknic
Individuals who are friendly and stocky. They are interpersonally dependent and gregarious.
Two Constitutional Groups of Personality

• Schizothymic
contains a psych-aesthetic proportion between Hyperesthetic (sensitive) and Anesthetic
(cold) characters.

• Cyclothymic
contains a diathetic proportion between Hypomanic (happy) and Melancholic (sad)
characters.
 Physiognomy, Craniology, and Phrenology
Physiognomy
Is a method of determining
Phrenology
individual character or personality
The study of the shape of the head to
through their outside appearance,
determine anatomical correlations between
particularly their faces.
human behavior, character, and mental facilities
known as cranioscopy.
Later, Johan Spurzheim renamed the
science of cranioscopy to phrenology.
Craniology
The study of skull used to
categorize individual racial
groupings. Craniology employs the
measurement and proportion of the
face and the head.
 03
Biochemical Theory
-Physiological condition refers to internal and external
circumstances that may occur to the physical aspects of man.

-Some biosocial theorists are certain that the biochemical

condition of the human body is affected, and changes are
acquired through food intake. The imbalances in his or her
hormones result in the development of criminal behavior.
The following are biological factors that may result in the aggressiveness of
humans.
 
A. Nutritional Deficiency
-Nutritional deficiencies at the childhood stage
affect child development that can result in
serious physical, mental, and behavioral
problems.

B. Hormonal Imbalance
- Hormonal imbalances occur when hormones present in the bloodstream are too many or beyond normal
levels. Hormones are chemicals and substances that are produced by glands in the endocrine system. It
travels through the bloodstream to the tissues and organs while sending to the organs what to do and when
to do it.
Hormones are important for regulating bodily
processes, including:

• METABOLISM AND APPETITE

• HEART RATE
• SLEEP CYCLES
• REPRODUCTIVE CYCES AND SEXUAL FUNCTION
• MOOD AND STRESS LEVEL
• BODY TEMPERATURE
• GENERAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
C.Fetall Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

Fetal alcohol syndrome is a condition observed in a

newly born child resulted from the exposure of the
mother to alcohol during pregnancy. It may cause
brain damage and the growing problems of the child.
- The following are signs and symptoms of FAS,
including physical defects, intellectual or cognitive
disabilities and social and behavioral issues.
 04
Genetic Theory
- This theory states that the criminal traits and predisposition of individuals are
inherited.The criminality of parents can be utilized to envisage the delinquency of
the children.In this modern world people who can afford modern technology and the
practice of improving the human species by selectively pairing or mating people with
specific desirable hereditary traits to reduce human suffering by removing
disease,disabilities and undesirable characteristics from the human population known
as eugenics.
A. Neurophysiological Conditions
-particularly brain damages are usually resulted from a violent blow or shock to the
head or body that causes learning disabilities.Whenever a person suffers from
moderate to severe trauma.Some researchers suggested that anti social and
criminal individuals tend to exhibit reduced brain volumes as well as impaired
functioning and connectivity in key areas related to executive functions.

B. Intelligence Deterioration
a study conducted by Milton Erickson he concluded that there was a very definite relationship between
criminality and deficiency of intelligence.In the same study Erickson further claimed that there appears to be
none or slight relationship between the gravity of the offense committed and the degree of intelligence
possessed by individuals who both in high or low grade feebleminded individuals committed crimes as
serious as those of more intellectually gifted fellows.
Charles B.Gorin

- An english criminologist.
- the one vital mental constitutional factor in etiology
of crime is defective intelligence.While american
physchologist Henry H. Goddard also made mentioned that
it is no longer to be denied that the greatest single
cause of delinquency and crime is a low grade mentality
much of it within the limits of feeble mindedness.
 05
Latent Trait Theory
 Latent trait theory is a recent
development in the field of criminology,
which also called an individual trait theory
of criminology. Theorists believe that
individuals commit crimes because of their
personal and individual traits that are
hidden and control their instincts when
experiencing a situation prejudicing their
persons or propeties. These traits will
produce unwanted behaivor that would lead
individuals to commit crimes