CRIM 1650 Lecture Notes - Scientific Method, Psychopathy, Atavism

• School: York University
• Department: Criminology
• Course: CRIM 1650
• Professor: James Williams

Document Summary

Historical context: middle ages (1400s-1600s) crime was viewed as sin. A product as a religious view of the world; possession, sinpunishment= burning at the stake. 19 people- the women targeted were unmarried: enlightenment and post-enlightenment (1700s-1900s); shift from a spiritual foundations and towards natural foundations in history. Trying to understand through science, imperial studies, measurement. so how individuals may be exposed to crime: scientific method. In this age criminology emerged as a science. Phrenologists (1800-1850) study the structure of the skull; certain structures would be associated with criminal activities. Lombroso and the theory of atavism (1876) he was an army doctor and prison physician. Developed a larger study in which he compared the facial and skull characteristics between criminals and non-criminals. Theory: criminals can be identified as atavistic characteristics criminals are evolutionary throwbacks; criminals were essentially less evolved. Sheldon and the criminal physique (1949) criminals possess extinct physic. Theory: each body type came with a different personality.