theory of crime

2. Topic:
Biological Theories of Crime
PREPARED BY
UMAIR

3. LEARNING OUTLINE:
The
• Defi
The
• Descr

4. CRIME
 Definition
Behaviour that breaks the formal laws of a given
society.
The punishment of crime will be more severe than the
punishment of deviance.

5. Deviance
 Definition
Differing from a norm or from the accepted standards
of a society.
 Example
Wearing a chicken suit to work would definitely be an
example of deviance, unless of course you're a mascot.

6. Theories on Deviance & Crime
There are many different theories on what
causes a person to perform deviant behavior
including;
1. Classical School Explanations
2. Psychological Explanations
3. Sociological Explanations
4. Biological Explanations

7. Classical Theory
Classical theory of
crime reflects that humans as
individuals are independent
and hence the crime is
committed by them.
After rationally and carefully c
alculating. That committing of
crime gives more of
pleasure when compared to
pain.
The person should be punished
according to the grade of crime
performed by him.

8. Psychological Theory
 Definition
Psychological theories of deviance use
a deviant’s psychology to explain his
motivation or compulsion to violate
social norms.

9. Sociological Theory
 Definition.
Sociological theories of
deviance are those that
use social context and
social pressures to
explain deviance.

10. Biological Explanation of Crime
Following are some of the major
biological explanations for deviant
behavior
Cesare Lombroso
Theory
Y Chromosome
Theory
William Sheldon
Theory

11. Cesare Lombroso (1835–1909)
 Cesare Lombroso, born was an Italian
criminologist, physician, and founder
of the Italian School of Positivist
Criminology
 Cesare Lombroso rejected the
Classical School explanation, which
believed that crime was a
characteristic of human nature
and instead believed that criminality
was inherited.

12. Cesare Lombroso (1835–1909)
 From this belief, he developed
a Theory of Deviance. In which
a person’s bodily constitution
indicates whether or not an
individual is a "born criminal.
These "born criminals" are a
throwback to an earlier stage
of human evolution with the
physical makeup, mental
Capabilities and instincts of primitive man.

13. Cesare Lombroso (1835–1909)
 In developing his theory,
Cesare Lombroso observed
the physical characteristics of
Italian prisoners and compared
them to those of Italian soldiers.

14. Cesare Lombroso (1835–1909)
Characteristics of Criminal:
Cesare Lombroso concluded that the criminals were
physically different. The physical characteristics that he
used to identify prisoners included;
 An asymmetry of the face or head
 Large monkey-like ears
 Large lips

15. Cesare Lombroso (1835–1909)
Characteristics of Criminal:
 A twisted nose
 Excessive cheekbones
 Long arms
 Excessive wrinkles on
the skin
 Large jaw
 Large chin

16. Cesare Lombroso (1835–1909)
 Lombroso declared that Males with five or
more of these characteristics could be marked
as born criminals.
 Females, on the other hand, only needed as
few as three of these characteristics to be born
criminals.

17. Cesare Lombroso (1835–1909)
 Lombroso also believed that tattoos were
markings of born criminals because they stood
as evidence of both immortality and
insensitivity to physical pain.

18. Y Chromosome Theory
The extra Y chromosome theory is the belief that
criminals have an extra Y chromosome, giving
them an XYY chromosome makeup rather than
an XY makeup, that creates a strong compulsion
within them to commit crimes.

19. Y Chromosome Theory
This person is sometimes called the "super
male." Some studies have found that the
proportion of XYY males in the prison population
is higher than the general male population (1 to 3
percent versus less than 1 percent), however
other studies don’t provide evidence that
supports this theory.

20. William Sheldon Theory
 Sheldon believed that people could be classified into 3
body shapes, which correspond with 3 different
personality types.
 Endomorphic (fat and soft)
 Ectomorphic (thin and fragile)
 Mesomorphic (muscular and hard)

21. William Sheldon Theory

22. William Sheldon Theory
 Endomorphs are considered soft and fat. They are
described as having a soft body, underdeveloped
muscles, a round physique, and they often have
difficulty losing weight.
Example
 John Goodman
 Roseanne Barr
 Jack Black
are all celebrities that would be considered endomorphs

23. William Sheldon Theory
Ectomorphs are thin and fragile. Their body is
described as flat-chested, fragile, lean, lightly muscled,
small shouldered, and thin.
Example
 Kate Moss
 Edward Norton
 Lisa Kudrow
Are all celebrities that could be described as ectomorphs.

24. William Sheldon Theory
Mesomorphs are muscular and athlet
Their body is described as hourglass shape
(female) or rectangular shaped (male), mus
has excellent posture, gains muscle easily,
has thick skin.

25. William Sheldon Theory
 Example
 Bruce Willis
 Sylvester Stallone (Rambo)
Mesomorphs, according to Sheldon,
the most prone to commit crime.

26. What are the merits of these theories?
May explain the relationship between gender
and crime.
Lack of Free Will.
‘Sick’ behavior rather than ‘bad’.
Most actions defined as deviant are carried out
by people who are physically normal.
Biological approach doesn’t explain why crime
is more likely to occur in western, urban areas.

27. THANK YOU !