Specific Criminal Traits and Lombroso's Research
This page delves deeper into Lombroso's theory of atavism in criminology, outlining specific traits he associated with different types of criminals and providing an overview of his research methodology.
Lombroso identified distinct physical traits for various criminal types:
- Murderers: Bloodshot eyes, curly hair, long ears
- Sexual deviants: Glinting eyes, swollen/fleshy lips, projecting ears
- Fraudsters: Thin and reedy lips
He also noted other traits such as insensitivity to pain, use of criminal slang, tattoos, and unemployment as indicators of criminal tendencies.
Lombroso's research methodology involved:
- Examining 3,839 living criminals
- Studying 383 dead criminals
- Claiming that 40% of criminal acts were committed by individuals with atavistic characteristics
Highlight: Lombroso's research, while groundbreaking for its time, was fraught with methodological issues that significantly undermined its credibility.
Example: Lombroso's inclusion of "extra toes, nipples, or fingers" as criminal indicators demonstrates the broad and often arbitrary nature of his criteria.