UNIT 15

► Ex. I. Scan through the text Work in pairs to answer the questions that follow.

Biological theories. Some theories attribute the tendency toward criminality to innate biological factors. The most famous of these is probably that of the Italian Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909), one of the first scientific criminologists, whose theories were related to Darwinian theories of evolution. His investigations of the skulls and facial features of robbers led him to the hypothesis that serious or persistent criminality was associated with atavism, or the reversion to a primitive stage of human development. [Atavism is reappearance in a person of a characteristic or quality that has not shown itself for several or many generations.] Another biological theory related criminality to body types, suggesting that it was more common among muscular, athletic persons than among tall, thin persons or soft, rounded individuals. Some criminologists have endeavoured to answer the question of whether biological factors are more important than social factors in criminal behaviour by studying the behaviour of twins. Various studies have shown that twins are more likely to exhibit similar tendencies toward criminality if they are identical than if they are fraternal. [Identical twin is one of a pair of brothers or sisters born at the same time to the same mother, who look almost exactly alike.] The suggestion of genetic influences in criminal behaviour is supported by studies of adopted children carried out to determine the influence of the biological parent on criminality. One such study showed that the rate of criminality was higher among those adopted children who had one biological parent who was criminal than among those who had one adoptive parent who was criminal. The highest rates of criminality were found among those children who had both biological parents and adoptive parents who were criminal.