Darwinian criminality theory: a tragic chapter in history.
Darwinists once believed that individual human beings occasionally reverted, both physically and mentally, to a prehuman stage of evolutionary development. This person was called an atavistic criminal type. As a result of this belief, the focus in Darwinian criminology was on identifying the criminal type who should be imprisoned permanently to protect society, even if the particular offense committed was minor. Conversely, if a "non-criminal type" committed even a serious offense, it was an aberration, and therefore, they concluded, imprisonment would serve no purpose. Darwinian criminologists believed punishment must fit the criminal and not the crime. Criminologists widely adopted this theory to explain crime and, as a result, it influenced both public opinion and official policy. The "criminal physical type" stereotype is still very much with us, even though the theory of evolutionary throwbacks (atavisms) as a causative factor in criminality was empirically disproved decades ago.
Bergman
Gerald
G
Northwest State College, 22-600 State Rt. 43, Archbold, Ohio 43543, USA. jbergman@northweststate.edu
D005075:Biological Evolution; D003415:Crime; D003418:Criminology / Q000266:history*; D004739:England; D018732:Forensic Anthropology / Q000266:history*; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D007603:Jurisprudence / Q000266:history; D012014:Reference Books, Medical; D013240:Stereotyping