Major principles of Biological Theory

 The brain is the organ of the mind and the locus of personality.
 The basic determinants of human behavior are constitutionally or
genetically based.
 The basic determinants of behavior may inherited.
 Some behavior is the result of biological propensities inherited from more
primitive developmental stages.
 The interplay among heredity and Biological.

Theory in perspective

Early Positivism

 Built on evolutionary principles

 First to apply scientific techniques to study of crime
 Period: 1880’s to 1930
 Concepts: Phrenology, Atavism or Born criminals , and Criminoloids

Positivist Theories – Auguste Comte

Positivism is built on 2 principles

 Social determinism – theories that social interactions and constructs

alone determine individual behavior.
 Scientific techniques – scientific methods
 Reality consists of a world of objectively defined facts that can be
scientifically measured and ultimately controlled.
 Criminal behaviors are caused by physical stigmata, atavism and
biological inheritance.

Biological inheritance include the following:

1. Mental Deficiency - person who has a failure in intellectual

development that is marked by mental retardation.
2. Feeblemindedness – person has a feeble, or weak mind.
3. Physical inferiority – lack of self esteem
4. Somatotype – human body shape by U.S psychologist William H.
Sheldon.
Four Sheldon’s body type
 Endomorphic – round, fat , overweight
 Mesomorphic – muscular type
 Ectomorphic – slim or linear type
  Balance type
5. Brain Disorder - include any conditions or disabilities that affect your
brain.
6. Twin studies – identical or fraternal twins
7. XYY syndrome – is a genetic condition with a male has extra Y
chromosomes
8. Physiological disorder – body malfunctions causes illness.

Early Biological Theories

 Criminal Anthropology – study of the relationship between human

physical characteristics and criminality
 Physiognomy – reading personal characteristics
 Phrenology – shape of the skull
 Franz Joseph Gall is responsible for this theory.

Cesare Lombroso

 The Italian leader of the Positivist school of crimibology

 Father of modern criminology

Classifications of criminals by Lombroso

1. Born criminals –criminal can be pre-determined his/her physical

appearance.
2. Criminal by passion – criminal responded to intense emotions or
anger
3. Insane criminals – those who commit crimes due to abnormality or
psychological disorder
4. Criminoloid – those who commit crime with less physical stamina or
self control.
5. Occasional criminal – those who committed crimes due to given
occasion.
6. Pseudo criminals – those who kill in self defense; false criminal
Study of Kretschmer by classifying types of physique and the type of
crimes they are prone to commit:

 Pyknic Type – those who are stout and round bodies, they tend to
commit deception, fraud, and violence.
 Athletic Type – those who are muscular and strong, they are usually
connected with crimes of violence.
 Asthenic Type- those who are skinny and slender, their crimes are petty
thievery and fraud.

STUDY OD WILLIAM SHELDON

Types of Physique

a) Endomorphic _ relatively great development of digestive viscera;

tendency to put on fat; soft; roundness through various regions of the
body; short tapering limbs; small bones and smooth velvety skin.
b) Mesomorphic – relatively predominance of muscles, bone and the
motor organs of the body, large wrists and hands; if lean, a hard
rectangular outline.
c) Ectomorphic – relatively predominance of skin and its appendages
which includes the nervous system and fragile, delicate body, small
delicate bones, droppy shoulder, small face, sharp nose, fine hair,
relatively small body mass and relatively great surface area.

TEMPERANT

a) Viscerotonic – general relaxation of body; a comfordable person;

loves luxury; and essentially extrovert person.
b) Romotonic – an active, dynamic person. His walks,talks and
gestures are assertive. He behaves aggressively.
c) Cerebrotonic – introvert full of functional compalints. Frequently
sufferinig from allergies skin troubles, chronic fatigue and
insomnia. Can be easily irritated from noise. He shrinks from
crowd ( shy type ).