¶ … Features of Positivist Criminology
Positivist criminology uses scientific research (primarily quantitative, laboratory, empirical experiment) to investigate the causes of crime and deviant behavior. Positivist criminology posits that the roots of deviancy are located in the physical, genetic, psychological or biological makeup of the individual and the individual, consequently, is not held accountable (or is faintly held accountable) for his deeds. Use of instruments, statistics, classification, and similar scientific instruments are used in this branch of study.
Positivist criminology is the opposite of classical criminology which sees the criminal as responsible for his actions and able to reform would he so wish. The school is closely identified with the behaviorist way of thinking, which ignores mentalism (i.e. beliefs, values, and meanings) and sees individuals as tied to external dictates of action (as, for instance, that one's environment impels one to act in a certain way; free-will is omitted from the equation).
Key figures of this school of thought included Entrico Ferri, Garoffalo, and Lombroso, with Lambroso positing that criminals indicated certain physical stigmata that traced their identity to certain primitive or apian ancestors. Although Lambroso's arguments have been refuted, a certain brand of biological positivism still persists with works such as those by Gluecks (in the 1950s) linking deviance to physiognomy and the XYY chromosome theory of the 1960s where an additional chromosome was thought to indicate criminality. Hans Eysenck, too, saw criminality as an inherent trait similar to intelligence, height or weight.
Using science to predict criminality, practitioners of positivist criminology would, in turn, also use science to treat it.
2. What explanation did positivist criminologists give for the failure of classicism crime?
Positive criminologists argued that classical criminology failed to explain the origins of crime. Hall Williams, for instance, in his book Criminology and Criminal Justice (1982) saw classical criminology as being a 'school of criminal philosophy' and indeed this is what it essentially was -- a rationalist way of perceiving deviation. Positivist criminology, on the other hand, offered a practical, scientific-grounded approach to understanding, and therefore, treating deviance.
Classical criminology, defined by rationalism and characterized by philosophers such as Bentham, Kant, and Hobbes was embattled (and in the field of practical justice and crime impeded) by the various philosophical questions that it had given rise to: for instance what was law? And what was ethics? Why then should certain people, rather than others, be held accountable for deviating from a certain system? Classical criminology led to questions about the limits of criminal behavior and, therefore, put into question the whole notion of establishing uniform criteria for social justice. This skeptical and critical position was overcome by the positivist school of criminology that asserted themselves ready and willing to place the system on a secure footing by identifying criminal via strict quantitative methodology and, by so doing protecting the public. The classical school debated whether objective reality could exist. The positivist school insisted that it could, and not only that but that it could be measured and, by doing so, its problems could be articulated, defined, and addressed.
The ideas of 2 major theorists of biological positivism
Cesare Lombroso was one of the most famous of all biological positivists as well as one of the forerunners of the system. His theory, known as atavism, posited that criminals possessed certain physical stigmata that traced their identity to certain primitive or apian ancestors and that this, in turn, determined their criminal and uncontrolled behavior.
Years of postmortem examination and vigorous anthropometric studies of criminal led Lombroso to point to various physical features that, he insisted, differentiated criminals from 'regular' mankind. The born criminal (otherwise known as reo nato) possessed distinct facial features such as a sloping forehead, unusual ears, asymmetry of face, unusually long arms, and other distinctive features. "Criminaloids" were another aspect of society. They were secondary to born criminals in that they turned to crime occasionally, and were instigated to do so by environmental conditions rather than by genetic or hereditary features.
Another well-known biological positivist was Hans Eysenck who, too, saw criminality as an inherent trait similar to intelligence, height or weight. A firm behaviorist, Eysenck believed that all behavior could be conditioned and that criminality emerged due to resistance to conditioning. Certain individuals were more resistant to conditioning than others, conscience was a conditioned reflex; those who were resilient to conditioning had weak or utter lack of conscience, hence their criminal behavior. Aggressive behavior is seen as pleasurable. This provides a certain reinforcement...
VI. DURKHEIM'S ANOMIE Another theory in criminology is known as 'Durkheim's Anomie' which was conceived by Emile Durkheim, a French sociologist who first introduced the anomie in the work entitled: "The Division of Labor in Society" in which the anomie was utilized in provides a description of a "condition of deregulation that was occurring in society." (Criminological Theory, 2001) This anomie was used to describe how that the mores' of behavior
Conflict Theory-The Relationship between Sociology and Criminology Theorists, on, social conflict propose that crime, in general, is triggered by conflict in the class system, as well as, laws that have been shaped by individuals and groups in power to safeguard their interests and rights. All acts of crime have political nuances, and Quinney refers to this as crime's social reality. Research attempts to confirm the conflict method; on the contrary, have
Classical criminology was an idea formed because there was no formal understanding of what caused criminal behavior. In an attempt to make sense of what was deemed socially irresponsible behavior, Cesare Beccaria was determined to formulate a theory that not only helped explain criminal behavior, but also helped to streamline punishment. Before this theory was developed, crime was not studied and the enforcement of crime was very arbitrary. Many times
people commit crimes and other people do not continues to trouble both laypersons and experts alike. This paper will attempt to delve more deeply into the causality of the psychology of crime. Over the years, various theories have fallen out of favor regarding traits that predispose people to criminality. Some theorists tend to view 'nurture' rather than 'nature' as more important or vice versa. Regardless, although it is likely
More recently, Miedzian (1991) has studied peer pressure, the socialization process, and military impact that has resulted in violence becoming standard behavior in males, and Thompson (1991) has demonstrated that violent acts are more often performed by males with greater masculine gender orientations. Another slant on this topic was placed by West and Zimmerman (1987) in "Doing Gender," that looked at gender not in terms of a set of traits
Lombroso aimed to be a true adherent of the positivist theory in constructing his criminologist theory. The way that he used positivism however shows how empiricism -- or true science as it is otherwise known -- can be misused and can lead to erroneousness results. Positivism is the orientation that attempts to follow empirical or sensory experience only and eschew metaphysical or spiritualist renderings. The irony of this was, at least
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