In the 1876, Caesar Lombroso (1835-1909) revolutionized the criminology with his “born criminal” theoryarguing that physical traits such as the shape of the skull indicated a innate predisposition to crime. Although today it is considered pseudoscience, without any concrete validity, his theory based on biological factors marked an important historical turning point.
Who was Cesare Lombroso?
Cesare Lombroso was an Italian doctor, anthropologist and criminologist, considered one of the founding fathers of modern criminology. Born in Verona in 1835 and graduated in medicine, Lombroso specialized in psychiatry and criminal anthropology. He was a pioneer in using scientific methods to study human behavior and, through the observation of the skulls of prisoners and psychiatric patients, developed his controversial “born criminal” theory.
Lombroso was fascinated by the possibility of uniting anthropology, medicine and criminologytrying to identify a “science of crime” that could explain deviant behavior through biology. His work had a great impact at the time and made him a prominent figure in Europe and beyond. However, his legacy remains highly controversial, as many of his theories have been widely criticized, rejected, and refuted in the decades since. He died in 1909.
The skull as evidence of crime
Lombroso began his studies in mental institutions and prisonscarefully examining the bodies of the prisoners, especially those convicted of violent crimes. His key observation occurred while examining the skull of an Italian brigand named Joseph Villella. While studying his skull, he noticed a occipital fossaa recess in the back of the skull. From this observation and further analyzing, Lombroso concluded that this feature was a sign of atavismthat is, a return to a primitive or archaic state of human evolution, arriving at the conclusion that criminals were “degenerates”characterized by a evolutionary regressionand their deviance and criminality depended on the physical conformation of their bodies.
Physical characteristics associated with the “born criminal”
In addition to the skull, Lombroso identified a series of physical characteristics that, according to him, were more common in criminals:
- Skull and face shape: cranial asymmetry, prominent jaws and protruding superciliary ridges were considered signs of “atavism”.
- Facial anomalies: hooked nose, large, irregular ears, deep-set or close-set eyes.
- Body abnormalities: particularly long arms, short fingers, a high presence of hair on the body.
Lombroso and his collaborators’ research method was to measure and compare these physical details through calipers and anthropometric measuring instruments. They believed they could identify specific physical characteristics that would allow them to recognize a “born criminal”. The observations were then used to draw a profile of the criminal, based on the belief that the predisposition to crime could be “read” directly from the body.
The theory of the born criminal or the criminal man
Lombroso’s main work, called The delinquent manwas first published in 1876 and represented a turning point in criminology and social sciences of the time. In this book, Lombroso described in detail the theory of the born criminal and presented numerous case studies based on his observations of inmates in Italian prisons. The work in fact offers a detailed analysis of the physical characteristics that, according to Lombroso, were indicators of a tendency to crime, a real “criminal legend”.
Precisely with the publication of The delinquent manthe controversial theory of the “born criminal” began to spread throughout Europe, according to which criminal behavior would be rooted in the congenital anatomical characteristics of individuals. This vision led to the conclusion that, for those who presented such characteristics, the crime could be considered inevitable and that this was a sort of hereditary pathologypassed down from generation to generation.
The delinquent man It went through several editions and revisions, in which Lombroso continued to refine and expand his arguments, including new concepts such as the “occasional delinquent” And “crazy delinquent”. This work strongly influenced the criminology of the time, although its scientific basis and methods have been widely criticized, revised and refuted over time.
Criticisms of the “Crime Gene”
Lombroso’s theories were heavily criticized from the beginning. Over the years many of his ideas have been described as pseudoscience. The main criticisms of the “born criminal” theory concern the biological determinismthe lack of methodological rigor andmisuse of physiological correlations to justify generalized conclusions. Furthermore, Lombroso’s theory has raised ethical and moral concernsas it justified potential discrimination based on physical appearance and could encourage racial practices.
With the evolution of social sciences and the emergence of modern criminology, attention has shifted towards more complex explanations of crime, which consider the social, psychological and environmental factors. Today, the “born criminal” theory is considered outdated and obsolete. However, it represents an important historical testimony of how scientific ideas can evolve and how scientific thinking from the past can still influence the present. Modern research in genetics, neuroscience and psychology confirms that There is no “crime gene”reinforcing the need to consider criminal behaviour in a broader and more integrated context.
Where to find Cesare Lombroso today: the Museum of Criminal Anthropology in Turin
Finally, if anyone today wishes to delve deeper into or experience first-hand the research of Cesare Lombroso, they can visit the Museum of Criminal Anthropology founded by Lombroso himself in 1876, at the University of Turin.
The museum houses a vast collection of artifacts collected by the scientist: 684 skulls, 27 human skeletal remains, 183 brains, as well as restraint instruments, evidence related to various crimes, death masks, drawings by psychiatric patients, photographs of criminals and other testimonies of the time. Among the objects on display, the skeleton of Lombroso himself is also foundtogether with his face preserved in formalin, which he wanted to leave to science after his death.
