In “Illustrative Studies in Criminal Anthropology,” Cesare Lombroso discusses studies of which he has undertaken in the area of “criminal anthropology” as they relate to “political criminals.” Lombroso states that “political criminals” have many characteristics of the standard “criminal type” and a specific type of physiognomy, such as facial asymmetry, large jaws, and ears without protruding earlobes. These conclusions are based on several studies involving Italian revolutionaries, Turin anarchists, and Chicago anarchists. However, these “political criminals” are not “true criminals” …show more content…
Lombroso says it makes sense that uncivilized societies like Italy and Spain have such a high rate of homicides, but why is America showing this increase in homicides? Lombroso argues that the following factors are to blame, specifically focusing on why certain parts of the country have many more homicides than others:
1. Climate: Climate contributes to crime, which explains phenomena such as the Northeast has very little while the South has many. Lombroso argues this is because the hot temperatures of the South, like those in Italy, “engender violent passion.”
2. Immigration: The Atlantic states have more immigrants than the Central states, and this explains why the Atlantic states have a higher homicide rate. The immigrants consist of those from European countries with high homicide rates, like Hungary.
3. Negros and Mongolians: Lombroso says that “colored people” in the country are the largest cause of homicide, specifically because of resentment towards the white community and deficits in “moral and material …show more content…
According to Bonger, capitalism produces economic conditions under which crime is produced and also thrives; unlike socialist societies, it is this demoralizing social environment, produced by capitalism, that produces increased criminal activity.
• Bonger identifies several factors, in a causal-effect type chain, to connect capitalism to criminal behavior: o Bonger argues that capitalism and economic unrestrained competition allows “the possibility of exchange [to] give birth to cupidity.” o Capitalism, which encourages economic competition breeds a toxic moral climate, plagued by greed and selfishness tied to producing a profit. o This leads to a disregard for ethical concerns and “man become[s] very egoistic, and hence more capable of crime.”
ϖ Since Bonger says crime is not produced by the individuals, but the social environment, how might Bonger’s theories potentially affect the prosecution of a criminal in court and corresponding punishment?
Carroll D. Wright. The relation of economic conditions to the causes of crime. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 3 (May, 1893), pp.