The Italian School of Criminology was founded in the late 19th century by Cesare Lombroso, Enrico Ferri, and Raffaele Garofalo. Lombroso argued that criminals were born with physical abnormalities and differences that could identify them as "born criminals." Ferri and Garofalo rejected Lombroso's theory of innate criminality and emphasized social and economic factors. The strongest point of the theory was that it stimulated discussion about studying criminals. However, its main weakness was that Lombroso provided no reliable evidence or explanation to prove criminality was inherited based on physical characteristics.

1. The Italian School
of
Criminology
Prepared by: Raymond Rolin D. Hilado MS CJE 1

2. The Italian School
 Was founded at the end of the 19th
century by Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909)
and two of his Italian followers, Enrico
Ferri (1856-1929) and Raffaele Garofalo
(1851-1934).

3.  Lombroso argued that criminals were born with
inferior differences that were detectable. He
popularized the notion of “born criminal” and
thought criminality was an atavism. His central
idea was finding crime completely with in the
individual and discarding social conditions and
structures that surrounds the individual.

4.  Enrico Ferri and Raffaele Garofalo
generally believed in Lombroso’s theory
but later refuted and formulated a
sociological definitions and structures that
surrounds the individual.

5. Enrico Ferri
(Feb. 25, 1856- April 12, 1929)
 Was an Italian criminologist, socialist and
a student of Cesare Lombroso. Ferri
investigated social and economic factors
as opposed to Lombroso’s atavistic theory
and postulated on crime prevention
methods rather than punishment.

6. Raffaele Garofalo
(1851-1934)
 Was an Italian jurist and a student of
Cesare Lombroso. He rejected the doctrine
of free will and attempted to formulate a
sociological definition of crime that would
designate those acts which can be
repressed by punishment.

7. The Italian Theory
 Cesare Lombroso known as the “Father of
Criminology” and leader of the Italian
School theorized that criminals differ from
non-criminals with reference to certain
physical traits which he called “Stigmata of
Degeneracy”. He found these physical
deviations in the parts of the anatomy but
placed particular emphasis on deviations
in the shape of the cranium.

8.  Lombroso advanced the notion of atavism,
which stated that criminals represented a
savage, earlier form of humankind.
 Their principal evidence that criminality
was atavistic was the resemblance of the
criminal subjects to the savages, but the
characteristics of the same were assumed,
not determined by reliable methods.
 The result was that Lombroso had no
significant proof or explanation of the
inheritance of criminality.

9. Lombroso’s Theory of Propositions are
the ff.:
 Criminals are by birth a distinct type.
(Born Criminals or Atavism)
 This type can be recognized by physical
stigmata or physical anomalies such as:
-Asymmetrical cranium -Long jaw
-Flattened nose -Scanty beard
-Low sensitivity to pain -Long earlobes
-Bulging eyes -Thick eyebrows
-Curly hair

10.  Five or more physical stigmata is assumed
to be a born criminal; less than five shows
no identification of being a born criminal
 Physical anomalies do not cause crime,
rather they identify the personality which
is pre-disposed to criminal behavior.

11. Lombroso categorized criminals
into:
 Born Criminals or Atavism (born
distinct due to physical stigmata or
anomalies)
 Criminoloids – not born with physical
stigmata but who are of such mental
make-up that they display anti-social
conduct. They may further be categorized
as “habitual criminals.

12.  This category includes juridical criminals, who
fall afoul with law by accident
 criminal by passion, these are i.e. hot-headed
and impulsive persons who commit violent
acts when provoked
Example:
 By contact with other criminals;
 The abuse of alcohol;
 Or other “distressing circumstances.”

13. Insane criminals
 This category of criminals according to
Lombroso, possess mental disorders.
Insane criminal becomes criminal as a
result of disorder in the brain which
completely upsets his/her moral nature.
For example:
 Alcoholics
 Kleptomaniacs
 Nymphomaniacs, and
 Child molesters

14. Strongest Point of the Theory
 The Italian school made a valuable contribution
to criminology by stimulating thought and
writing about crime and criminals. It focused
attention on the offender as an appropriate
object of study, which the 18th-century
reformers had not done. Finally, the work of the
Italian school framed the so-called nature-
versus-nurture debate (whether biological or
social factors create behaviors) that became a
principal theme throughout the development of
modern criminology.”

15. Weakest Point of the Theory
The weakest point of this theory was that
their principal evidence that criminality was
atavistic was the resemblance of the
criminal subjects to the savages, but the
characteristics of the same were assumed,
not determined by reliable methods. That’s
why the result was that Lombroso had no
significant proof or explanation of the
inheritance of criminality.

16. THE END!!!