CRJS 1001: A+ QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATES UNVAILED!
Jeremy Bentham
punishment should be made known in advance. rational choice theory: humans have free will and make
rational choices. "punishment should fit the crime"
Cesare Lombroso
father of modern criminology, measured and classified the skulls and body types of many prisoners and
inmates, concluded that criminals were atavistic or less evolved
Atavistic
criminal behaviour innate and only partly caused by psychological and environmental conditions
Features of Atavistic people
Robbers -> small, shifting, quick-moving eyes, bushy connected eyebrows, twisted or snub noses, thin
beards, receding foreheads. Murderers -> glassy cold motionless eyes, hawk like nose
Cesare Lombroso's categories of offenders
born criminals (atavistic features), occasional criminals (environmental factors), epileptics (atavistic
features), criminally insane (mental illness), criminals of passion, criminaloids (everyone else)
Critiques of Lombroso
Cannot be properly tested, overemphasis on biological determinism, lacking predictive power
Earnest Hooton
criminals biologically and socially inferior (compared more than 13,000 criminals with non-criminals),
three distinct body types
Hooton's three distinct body types
Ectomorph (tall, lean, introverted personality, nervous), endomorph (fat, round, easygoing personality),
and mesomorph (well built, muscular, aggressive personality, quick to act, insensitive to pain)
Limitations/criticisms of the Classical School of Criminology
assumes rationality, limited consideration of bio. and psych. factors, harsh punishment, lack of empirical
evidence, overemphasis on formal legal system
Positivist School of Thought
Application of the scientific method to the study of crime and evidence, criminality is inherited
The five assumptions of the positivist school of thought
, human behaviour is determined (not free will), criminals fundamentally different from non-criminals,
social scientists can be objective, crime is caused by multiple factors, specific identifiable causes of
criminal behaviour
What contributions did biological explanations have on understanding of crime?
Biological theories allow criminologists to differentiate between the effects of environment, lived
experiences, and genotype on antisocial behaviour and understand how the two interact
Can criminality be inherited?
No, no crime gene.
Twin studies
show biological parent criminality more influential than adoptive parent criminality
What is the significance of adoption studies?
children's criminal behaviour relates more to biological parents.
Adoption Studies
show both heritable and environmental component to criminogenic behaviour
What is the significance of twin studies?
Concordance (shared characteristic) rates -> identical twins about 85%, fraternal twins about 15%
Gene x Environment
people with different genetic backgrounds may react differently to the same environment.
predisposition + adverse environment = increased risk.
How does brain chemistry impact understanding crime?
criminal behaviour may be influenced by factors like impulsivity, inability to understand consequences,
and the need for immediate gratification. imbalances of neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine)
How does serotonin relate to crime?
low levels linked to impulsive and aggressive behaviour
How does dopamine relate to crime?
people who don't get dopamine naturally resort to drugs to feel the high, dysfunction linked to
increased risk for antisocial behavior
How does brain damage impact understanding crime?
all behaviors are controlled by the brain so changes to the brain = changes to behaviors. frontal lobe
involved in inhibiting inappropriate behavior, aggression and impulsivity (linked to loss of self-control,
personality changes, increased anxiety/depression)
How does nutrition and alcohol impact understanding crime?
UPDATES UNVAILED!
Jeremy Bentham
punishment should be made known in advance. rational choice theory: humans have free will and make
rational choices. "punishment should fit the crime"
Cesare Lombroso
father of modern criminology, measured and classified the skulls and body types of many prisoners and
inmates, concluded that criminals were atavistic or less evolved
Atavistic
criminal behaviour innate and only partly caused by psychological and environmental conditions
Features of Atavistic people
Robbers -> small, shifting, quick-moving eyes, bushy connected eyebrows, twisted or snub noses, thin
beards, receding foreheads. Murderers -> glassy cold motionless eyes, hawk like nose
Cesare Lombroso's categories of offenders
born criminals (atavistic features), occasional criminals (environmental factors), epileptics (atavistic
features), criminally insane (mental illness), criminals of passion, criminaloids (everyone else)
Critiques of Lombroso
Cannot be properly tested, overemphasis on biological determinism, lacking predictive power
Earnest Hooton
criminals biologically and socially inferior (compared more than 13,000 criminals with non-criminals),
three distinct body types
Hooton's three distinct body types
Ectomorph (tall, lean, introverted personality, nervous), endomorph (fat, round, easygoing personality),
and mesomorph (well built, muscular, aggressive personality, quick to act, insensitive to pain)
Limitations/criticisms of the Classical School of Criminology
assumes rationality, limited consideration of bio. and psych. factors, harsh punishment, lack of empirical
evidence, overemphasis on formal legal system
Positivist School of Thought
Application of the scientific method to the study of crime and evidence, criminality is inherited
The five assumptions of the positivist school of thought
, human behaviour is determined (not free will), criminals fundamentally different from non-criminals,
social scientists can be objective, crime is caused by multiple factors, specific identifiable causes of
criminal behaviour
What contributions did biological explanations have on understanding of crime?
Biological theories allow criminologists to differentiate between the effects of environment, lived
experiences, and genotype on antisocial behaviour and understand how the two interact
Can criminality be inherited?
No, no crime gene.
Twin studies
show biological parent criminality more influential than adoptive parent criminality
What is the significance of adoption studies?
children's criminal behaviour relates more to biological parents.
Adoption Studies
show both heritable and environmental component to criminogenic behaviour
What is the significance of twin studies?
Concordance (shared characteristic) rates -> identical twins about 85%, fraternal twins about 15%
Gene x Environment
people with different genetic backgrounds may react differently to the same environment.
predisposition + adverse environment = increased risk.
How does brain chemistry impact understanding crime?
criminal behaviour may be influenced by factors like impulsivity, inability to understand consequences,
and the need for immediate gratification. imbalances of neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine)
How does serotonin relate to crime?
low levels linked to impulsive and aggressive behaviour
How does dopamine relate to crime?
people who don't get dopamine naturally resort to drugs to feel the high, dysfunction linked to
increased risk for antisocial behavior
How does brain damage impact understanding crime?
all behaviors are controlled by the brain so changes to the brain = changes to behaviors. frontal lobe
involved in inhibiting inappropriate behavior, aggression and impulsivity (linked to loss of self-control,
personality changes, increased anxiety/depression)
How does nutrition and alcohol impact understanding crime?
