Sociology & Criminology for a Changing World
Biological theories of crime explain criminal behavior by reference to genetic, neurological, physiological, and evolutionary factors at the level of the individual. They focus on individual predispositions and biological processes that may increase the likelihood of offending. Unlike sociological approaches that emphasize social structures or cultural norms, biological theories examine how processes within the body
Moffitt’s Two-Path Theory explains criminal behavior by distinguishing between two developmental trajectories: adolescence-limited offending and life-course persistent offending. The theory is based on longitudinal research, particularly the Dunedin Study, which tracked individuals over time to identify patterns of offending across the life course. Key Points Two-Path Theory Main Proponent: Terrie E. Moffitt First Formulation: Early
What is the Multiple Factor Approach? The Multiple Factor Approach explains crime as the result of the combined influence of multiple social, psychological, and biological risk factors. Rather than attributing delinquency to a single cause, it emphasizes cumulative and probabilistic causation. This perspective rejects one-sided explanations such as biological determinism or purely social causation. Instead,
Cesare Lombroso’s anthropological theory of crime explains criminal behavior as biologically determined. Lombroso posited the existence of a “born criminal,” an atavistic individual representing a regression to an earlier stage of human evolution. Key Points Cesare Lombroso – Criminal Anthropology Main Proponent: Cesare Lombroso First Formulations: 1870s–early 20th century Country of Origin: Italy Core Idea:
Biological theories of crime explain criminal behavior by reference to genetic, neurological, and physiological factors. These approaches focus on individual predispositions and biological processes that may increase the likelihood of offending. In contrast to sociological theories that emphasize social structures and cultural norms, biological approaches highlight internal characteristics of the individual. Modern perspectives increasingly adopt