Positivism: The Birth of Modern Criminology

Positivism, a school of thought that advocates for the application of scientific methods to social issues, was one of the most significant developments in criminology. Positivist criminologists were interested in uncovering the biological, psychological, and social determinants of criminal behavior. Rejecting traditional beliefs in free will and the mind, they sought empirical evidence for their claims. One of the most prominent figures of the positivist school was the Italian army psychiatrist Cesare Lombroso, who published the book "Criminal Man" in 1876. This book was the first to systematically study the causes of criminal behavior.

Lombroso's theory was based on the idea that some criminals were less evolved than others and were throwbacks to earlier stages of human evolution. He identified a number of physical characteristics that he believed were associated with criminal behavior. Lombroso's theory of the atavistic-born criminal influenced the development of the Italian theory of criminology.

Enrico Ferri, another Italian criminologist, took a different approach than Lombroso. He believed that biological factors alone were not sufficient to explain criminal behavior. In his book "Criminal Sociology," Ferri argued that emotional reactions, social weaknesses, geographical conditions, religious and political influences, and low intelligence all played a role in determining criminal tendencies.

Raffael Garofalo, yet another Italian criminologist, argued that crime was a violation of the laws of nature. He believed that punishment was necessary to maintain social order and that a natural definition of crime was needed to guide the criminal justice system.

The positivist school of criminology was significant because it marked a shift from traditional explanations of criminal behavior to a more scientific and empirical approach. By using scientific methods to study criminal behavior, positivist criminologists were able to develop a more nuanced understanding of the causes of crime. The ideas put forth by Lombroso, Ferri, and Garofalo continue to influence criminology to this day, and their contributions remain a critical part of the history of criminology.

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