Biological Theories

According to this group of theories, crime is in the brain. That is, criminality happens based on the biological nature of every individual and is affected only by factors of genetics, neurology, or physical appearance.

Early Biological Theories

Cesare Lombroso, in 1876, proposed the atavistic theory in his influential work, The Criminal Man. This theory suggests that there exists the born criminal. These people are supposedly different from regular people because they possess certain physical abnormalities that make them less than human.

These physical abnormalities are called a stigmata - physical manifestations of an atavism which is a throwback to an earlier stage of human evolutionary development. In other words, Lombroso proposed that criminality comes from people who are less evolved and this is visible through their "subhuman" physical characteristics.

Lombroso was very likely to suggest that these people are more similar to earlier stages of humanity that to the modern man. They could even be the "missing link." He claimed that born criminals should be the focus of actions against criminality in society.

Earnest Hooton, known as the Prophet of Human Decay, proposed the General Inferiority Theory. He believed that humanity is doomed by our genetic degradation. He argued that crime comes from inferior people. These people have mediocre builds who tend to break the law because of their characterlessness. He further suggested that criminals should be permanently exiled to self-governing territories to isolate them from society and that they should be sterilized to prevent further offspring.

William Sheldon proposed the Somatotype Theory which advances the idea that a person's body type affects their temperament. He classified people into three groups: the ectomorphs, the mesomorphs and the endomorphs.

Somatotype Body Types

• ectomorph skinny and lean with fragile bodies who are introverted, thoughtful, inhibited, and sensitive
• mesomorph athletic and muscular with active, assertive, dynamic, and aggressive personalities
• endomorph fat, round, and soft, with short arms and legs who are relaxed, comfortable, and introverted

According to this theory, the people who tend to become criminals are those with mesomorphic bodies because their strong physical build gives them an intimidating appearance. They also tend to commit violent crimes and tend to want power and dominance.

In 1857, B.A. Morel proposed the Degeneration Theory. This theory stated that people who are in "lower" social classes or races are predisposed towards neurological and mental illnesses, thus making them more likely to become criminals. Substance abuse, including drugs and alcohol, tend to be very common amongst these people, thus worsening the initial predisposition to crime. The name of the theory comes from its ultimate idea that states that the aforementioned can be inherited among generations. Thus, humanity is said to be regressing throughout the generations.

Modern Biological Theories

Contemporary biological theories related to crime come from neuroscience and genetics.

Neuroscience

Of particular interest to neuroscientists studying the crime phenomenon is the frontal lobe of the brain. This stands out among other brain regions as this section is involved in abstract thought, goal formation, and behavioral inhibition.

When these things get mixed up in the brain, especially behavioral inhibition, a person could end up doing criminal acts since they would not be able to get hold of themselves anymore.

Another important part of the brain is its chemistry. Neuroscientists also study chemicals in the brain, known as neurotransmitters, that affect human behavior. There are more than a few of them, but of particular interest to criminologists are the dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin.

Dopamine

Often portrayed as the pleasure or happy chemicals, dopamine is actually involved in motivation. Excessive levels of this chemical in the brain have been shown to be related to aggressive and criminal behaviors.

Norepinephrine

This is the chemical that activates the brain and body. Heightened levels can result in aggressive behavior while reduced levels can result in antisocial behavior.

Serotonin

This chemical manages impulsivity. As you can imagine, reduced levels have been shown to be linked to criminal behavior.

Genetics

In a rather backwards movement towards Lombroso's born criminal, some studies now advocates the idea that one can become a criminal by inheriting the this trait through one's DNA. Since the DNA is the transmitter of genetic material, these ideas suggest that people can become predisposed to crime because your genes could be carrying criminalistic traits from your ancestors.

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