Taking a Look at Biological Criminology - 1240 Words

Biological criminology began many years ago along with the scientist Cesare Lombroso. He believed that criminals are born, not made. A â€Å"born criminal†, is a â€Å"defective individual†, whom has natural or instinctive tendencies towards low types of social life. (Biosocial and Psychological Theories, Feb. 11, 2014) Biological criminology believes criminals are genetically determined but face major shortcomings for being â€Å"simplistic, untestable, illogical, and often ideological† (Biosocial and Psychological Theories, Feb. 11, 2014). By the 1950’s, biological theories had almost been wiped out because of the lack of support. Today we see some form of biological criminology intertwined with sociological theory. We see the interaction of biological and environmental variables playing a role in a person’s behavior. The original nature argument of biological criminology was rewritten as not nature versus nurture, but as â€Å"nature via nurture †. (Biosocial and Psychological Theories, Feb. 11, 2014) This biological theory views inmates as inferior and individuals with genetic abnormalities that dictate their behaviors and often have tendency’s to engage in criminal behavior. The theory states that some individuals have poor genealogy with high dispositions towards crime and that any change to a person’s biology is nearly impossible. This raises the question, are we able to identify individuals as criminals before they commit crime? If we cannot change them in incarceration and their futureShow MoreRelatedCriminology is the Scientific Study of a Crime1026 Words   |  4 Pages The definition of Criminology is the scientific study of crime, as a social phenomenon of criminals, and penalty treatment (Citation Required). Criminology is the basis of the criminal justice system, it aids with assessing criminals and punishing them justly within the justice system. One key question that should be asked is the justice system allowing criminals to get away by pleading insane, mental, or saying that they weren’t in control of their body. This paper will look at specific examplesRead MoreThe Theory Of Crime Causation871 Words   |  4 Pagesimportant goals to criminology is to create valid and accurate theories of crime causation. A theory could be defined as a statement that explains why a certain circumstance does not happen. A valid theory should always have the ability to predict future occurrences of the circumstance in question and also have the ability to be tested (Siegel, 2013). Even though there was talk on the code of law and how crime should be handled from years ago, according to Siegel, the science of criminology is somewhatRead MoreEssay Is Crime a Biological or Learned Behavior?1275 Words   |  6 Pagesis directly correlated to the notion of nurture vs nature. Over time many researchers have presented various theories pertaining to what causes criminal behavior. Th ere are many theories that either support or oppose the concept of crime being biological rather than a learned behavior. Earlier theories attempted to find a link between human physical characteristics and criminal behavior. In fact, this concept has been tested and modified over time. One theory, suggested by Franz Joseph Gall,Read MoreThe Lifestyle Theory And The Super Traits Theory Essay1830 Words   |  8 PagesIn the field of Criminology, or just about any field that involves theories, has the idea of comparing theories ever been proposed? It would make sense to think if there are multiple theories to explain one thing a person does-then there must be something similar or contrasting of these theories presented to us. For this essay’s purpose, we will take a look at the lifestyle theory and the super traits theory. In this essay, we will explore the contrasting ways of these two theories. In this essayRead MoreThe Problem Of Criminal Justice System882 Words   |  4 Pagesthat surround the idea of criminal justice. Initially the main goals of these schools of thought were to classify and punish crimes, however in the recent past we are seeing a shift toward the deterrence and prevention of crime. Early classical, biological, and psychological theories helped shape what is today’s criminal justice system. One of the earliest theories that attempted to explain the cause of crime is classical theory. In 1764, Cesare Beccaria published his Essay on Crimes and PunishmentsRead MoreCrime And Its Effects On Society s Life Sentence Without A Non Parole Period1402 Words   |  6 PagesJustice Virgina Bell reports that Harris was adopted, his parents supposedly treated him differently and this lead him to live homeless Kidd (2011). Above this, Harris admits he prostituted himself and became a heroin user at the age of 14 Kidd (2011). Taking this into consideration, it can be assumed that Matthew James Harris lacked opportunity to achieve his goals, and turned to crime as a means of gaining some form of success. In a classicism theory, the centre of interest differs and lies on the conceptRead More4.Sociology Is The Study Of Society Using Empirical Investigation,1072 Words   |  5 Pageseconomic development. The reason to study sociology is because the field interdisciplinary just like criminology. Studying the two fields gives one a better understanding how societies might have an impact on why people commit crimes. I’m also taking sociology and criminology at the same time and a lot of the theories and content we learn can be applied to either class. The Chicago School of Criminology was discovered in the early 20th century by a handful of sociologist, but Robert. E. Park and ErnestRead Moreâ€Å"[Lifestyle] Theory Was Devised Primarily To Assist Correctional1069 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"[Lifestyle] theory was devised primarily to assist correctional counselors to change criminal thinking patterns† (Introduction to Criminology, p. 274) and so what Walters was trying to have a theory that proved that criminal behavior was more of a lifestyle than any other form of behavior. It is the biological and environmental conditions that aid criminals into making certain choices thus guiding them into criminal cognitions. Those cognitions are then formed through thinking errors that leadRead MoreBiological Determinism, Subculture Crime And Conflict Theories1652 Words   |  7 Pageswill be looked at in order to provide a sufficient report for the judge on what caused Albert to enter a life of crime which culminated in his conv iction for murder are; biological determinism, ecological determinism, subculture crime and conflict theories. Biological determinism One of the best known application of biological determinism in relation to crime is from Cesare Lombroso who â€Å"Viewed criminals as suffering from a depravity caused by an atavistic reversion:† In other words, throughRead MoreWhy Do People Commit Crimes?1145 Words   |  5 Pagescontribute for one person to break the laws. Several theories have been analyzed and studied by criminologists but the criminal justice system not only relies in one theory why people commit crimes. I believe that the sociological, psychological and biological factors lead people to commit crimes. And that this factor plays such as important role in the offender life. At the beginning the theory of crimes was dominated by the church and the state they thought that people engage in criminal behavior