CRIMINOLOGY TASTER SESSION

CRIMINOLOGY TASTER SESSION

GETTING STARTED: WHAT MAKES A CRIMINAL? Discuss with a partner: Are we born criminal? Or are there other factors involved?

WHAT IS CRIMINOLOGY? The scientific study of crime and criminals.

DRAW A CRIMINAL Draw your idea of a criminal onto the body outline. Think about their facial features, their expression etc. Draw it in as much detail as you can (don’t worry if you're not an artist!!)

CESARE LOMBROSO Lombroso was an Italian psychiatrist and military doctor who developed theories about criminals. He is known as the ‘Father of Modern Criminology’ as he was the first to use scientific methods in criminology. Lombroso had an idea that criminals were a separate species to other non criminal humans. He felt that criminals were not as evolved as non criminals and that criminal behaviour therefore was inherited.

ATAVISTIC FORM (LOMBROSO) As Lombroso believed criminality was inherited and biological- he believed that criminals had certain facial features similar to those of primitive (early) humans. He called these features ‘Atavistic’ features. Lombroso studied the features of 383 dead criminals and 3,839 living ones and concluded that 40% of criminal acts could be accounted for by atavistic features. Therefore Lombroso felt that you can tell whether someone will become a criminal, and also what type of criminal they will be, just by the way someone looks!

ATAVISTIC FEATURES Asymmetry of the face Excessive dimensions of the jaw and cheekbones Eye defects and peculiarities Unusual size ears (very small or standing out from the head) Twisted, upturned nose Flattened nose in thieves Beak like nose in murderers Very short chin or very long chin, or short and flat like in an ape Very long arms More than the usual number of fingers and toes Does your criminal have any of these features? If so, label them as ‘atavistic features’

GO BACK TO YOUR CRIMINAL Around the outside, write down what kind of personality traits etc. they might have.

CRIMINAL PERSONALITY Is there a particular personality type that can lead to committing crime? Hans Eyesenck believed there was. He devised a questionnaire to assess certain personality traits and found that there were 3 dimensions of personality that could be linked to criminals.

CRIMINAL PERSONALITY Extraversion Neuroticism Criminals are extraverts. Criminals are neurotic. They crave attention and stimulation. They are unstable and irrational. They get bored very easily. They commit crime as they like the thrill it gives them! They can be unpredictable and prone to mood swings. They may get angry easily which might lead to them lashing out! Psychoticism Criminals are psychotic. They are cold, uncaring and unemotional. They have no empathy for others which means they would feel no guilt hurting someone else! Does your criminal have any of these traits? If so, label them!

IS THIS AN ACCURATE WAY TO ‘ SPOT ’ A CRIMINAL? These theories are highly criticised- especially Lombroso! Most people today generally believe that there are multiple reasons for someone becoming a criminal, not simply just your genes or personality! When studying criminology, we will look at several other theories that try to explain criminal behaviour and their strengths and weaknesses.

GO BACK TO YOUR CRIMINAL What is their social environment like?

WHAT MAKES A CRIMINAL? PHYSICAL FEATURES? PERSONALITY? ENVIRONMENT?

THANK YOU!