If
Charles Darwin's
Theory of evolution was scientific as applied to animals, the same approach should be applied to "man" as an "animal". Darwin's theory of evolution stated that new species would evolve by the process of evolution. It meant that creatures would adapt to their surroundings and from that, a new species would be created over time. Biological positivism is a theory or approach that takes an individual's characteristics and behavior that make up their genetic disposition is what causes them to be criminals. Biological positivism in theory states that individuals are born criminals and some are not.
Physical characteristics Historically,
medicine became interested in the problem of crime, producing studies of
physiognomy (see
Johann Kaspar Lavater and
Franz Joseph Gall) and the science of
phrenology which linked attributes of the mind to the shape of the
brain as revealed through the
skull. These theories were popular because they absolved
society and any failures of its
government of responsibility for criminal behavior. The problem lay in the propensities of individual offenders who were biologically distinguishable from law-abiding citizens. This theme was amplified by the
Italian School and through the writings of
Cesare Lombroso (see ''L'Uomo Delinquente
, The Criminal Man
and Anthropological criminology) which identified physical characteristics associated with degeneracy demonstrating that criminals were atavistic throwbacks to an earlier evolutionary form. Charles Goring (1913) failed to corroborate the characteristics but did find criminals shorter, lighter and less intelligent, i.e. he found criminality to be "normal" rather than "pathological" (cf the work of Hooton found evidence of biological inferiority). William Sheldon identified three basic body or somatotypes (i.e. endomorphs, mesomorphs
, and ectomorphs
), and introduced a scale to measure where each individual was placed. He concluded that delinquents tended to mesomorphy. Modern research might link physical size and athleticism and aggression because physically stronger people have the capacity to use violence with less chance of being hurt in any retaliation. Otherwise, such early research is no longer considered valid. The development of genetics has produced another potential inherent cause of criminality, with chromosome and other genetic factors variously identified as significant to select heredity rather than environment as the cause of crime (see:
nature versus nurture''). However, the evidence from family, twin, and adoption studies shows no conclusive
empirical evidence to prefer either cause.
Intelligence There are a number of reputable studies that demonstrate a link between lower intelligence and criminality. However, when studies are conducted among the prison population, they are only studying those criminals actually caught. In other words, it might be that less intelligence people are more likely to be caught, rather than less intelligent people are more likely to commits crimes. For example, individuals with higher intelligence are more likely to avoid being arrested.
Emotional intelligence has also been closely related to aggression and criminals. People who tend to have a lower emotional intelligence are those that have a hard time managing their emotions and are more prone to act out and perpetrate criminal behavior.
Other medical factors Testosterone and
adrenaline have been associated with
aggression and
violence, and the
arousal and excited state associated with them. The excessive consumption of alcohol can lower blood sugar levels and lead to aggressiveness, and the use of chemicals in foods and drinks has been associated with hyper-activity and some criminal behaviour. ==Psychological positivism==