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Cesare Lombroso 's Role As A Criminology Thinker

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Cesare Lombroso was a significant contributor the subject of criminology. Some even make stipulations that he is the father of criminologist. His studies at the University of Pavia contributed greatly to his eventual role as a criminology thinker. His works attracted both positive and negative reception, and Wolfgang considers it a name most eulogized and attacked (Marvin. 1960, p.232). He is the flag bearer of biological positivism and was mainly influential in Europe and North America. His proposition was that there needs to e an understanding of the criminal. This was to be done before we criticize the crime itself. (1912, pg.15). His book Criminal Man was one of his renowned works. His work was greatly influenced by that of Charles Darwin as he was a supporter of the evolution theory as suggested by Newburn (Newburn 2007).

Lombroso was and advocate for positivism. He studied the biological characteristic of man to be an influence on one’s criminal behavior. He proposed that some people were born as criminals. He indicated atavism as one of the chief characteristics of born criminals. He indicated that physical characteristics such as enlarged jaws (1884 ed., 2006 trans. p222). The born criminal aspect by Lombroso was mostly influenced by work of Johan Casper Lavater. Lombroso also associated the tattooing of bodies as an indication of criminal behavior. He found it appalling that women in the aristocratic set up in London were using tattoos. He associated tattooing with

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