Search for the Criminal Man Revisited

Criminal Justice -- the Search for the "Criminal Man" Revisited

Numerous theories have been devised in an attempt to understand criminal behavior. Biosocial theories focus on the interaction between biological factors with other factors in such a way that certain behaviors result. Ellis, Walsh, Cullen and Mednick are among the theorists supporting biosocial theories of criminology. Mednick focused on criminals' apparent inability to learn from their mistakes and settled on the impaired Autonomic Nervous Systems (ANS) interacting with external cues. Other biosocial theorists have studied biochemical factors such as nutritional deficiencies, hormonal influences, allergies and environmental contaminants. In contrast to biosocial theorists, biological theories focus on "the criminal man," a born criminal who exhibits psychological, physical and social traits. Cesare Lombroso, often called "the Father of Modern Criminology," formed the theory of "the criminal man" in the late 19th Century and listed revealing physical characteristics of this instinctive criminal who supposedly lacks free will and moral responsibility.

2. Introduction

Biosocial theories of criminality study the ways in which biological characteristics interact with other factors to "shape" a person's behavior. In contrast to biosocial theories, biological theories concentrate on the born criminal, a "criminal man" who is biologically, instinctively criminal and is known by physical, psychological or social manifestations. Both biosocial theories and biological theories consider biological characteristics but biosocial theories move beyond to include other factors that might cause criminal behavior.

3. Body

a. Explain Biosocial Theories And Give Major Theorists

Biosocial theories of criminality study the ways in which biological characteristics interact with other factors to "shape" a person's behavior. Biosocial theories are supported by a number of theorists, including Lee Ellis, Anthony Walsh and Francis T. Cullen (Lilly, 2010, p. 352). The authors of our textbook stress the biosocial theory of Sarnoff A. Mednick, who argues that criminals do not seem to learn from their mistakes because they have impaired Autonomic Nervous Systems (ANS). According to Mednick, the normal ANS responds to environmental cues so the individual learns from them; however, a person with an impaired ANS will be slower to pick up on those cues and slower to mature or learn from them. A person with a normal ANS who engages in an antisocial behavior will pick up environmental cues, will feel the positive reinforcement of less fear when the antisocial behavior is suppressed and will learn to inhibit that antisocial behavior because of that positive reinforcement; however, a person with an abnormal ANS will not pick up or will be far slower to pick up on those cues, will not feel the positive reinforcement of less fear from suppressing the antisocial behavior and therefore will not learn or will be slower to learn to inhibit antisocial behavior (Lilly, 2010, pp. 358-9).