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The Positivist Theory of Crime: Analyzing Crime from a Biological Point of View


Crime has been a prevalent issue in society for centuries, and people have been trying to understand its causes and how to prevent it. One of the most controversial and disputed theories regarding the origins of crime is the Positivist Theory. As we enter the modern age, we come across more positivists who have analyzed crime from an anthropological point of view following in the footsteps of Lombroso in 1876 such as Kretschmer in 1925, and Hooten in 1939 and William H. Sheldon (1898–1977).

Ernst Kretschmer, a German psychiatrist, attempted to link body types with personality characteristics and mental illness. He proposed four body types: Pyknik, Asthenic, Athletic, and Dysplastic. Pyknik types are short and heavily built with a social and cheerful temperament but are prone to manic-depressive psychopathology. Asthenic types are tall and thin with underdeveloped muscles, irritable, and lost in fantasy, with a schizoid temperament. Athletic types are muscular, with a well-built body but are of average height, and Dysplastic types are a mix of all three.

William Sheldon, an American positivist, was inspired by Kretschmer's work and developed a classification system known as Somatotypes. Sheldon categorized people into three types: Ectomorphs, Mesomorphs, and Endomorphs. Ectomorphs are of slight build and possess fast metabolisms. Mesomorphs have a medium frame and bone structure, predisposed to an athletic and toned body, and easy muscle gain. Endomorphs have a softer body mass, higher body fat ratio, and gain muscle with relative ease.

Sheldon believed that this physical division also fell into mental categories. For example, endomorphs have a strong appetite, control their emotions, and enjoy relaxation. Mesomorphs are competitive, self-assertive characters, and ectomorphs are quick-tempered, strong-willed people.

In 1856 American scientists Sheldon Gluek and Elner Glueck, through 500 criminals and the 500 non criminals, identified that 60% of criminals were mesomorphic, and 30.7% of non-abusive samples were also mesomorphic. In addition, whereas only about 14% of delinquents could be classified as ectomorphs, nearly 40% of the non-delinquent controls could be placed in this category. 

Ernest Hooten, an anthropologist at Harvard University, studied over 17,000 people for twelve years and suggested that criminals could be biologically inferior to the rest. He believed that the "biological vulnerabilities" of these criminals could be passed down from generation to generation. However, his views were strongly criticized in the United States, as his methodology was flawed, with weak control groups and samples.

While these theories are not widely accepted today, they have contributed to the field of criminology by attempting to understand crime from a biological point of view. They have led to further research, helping us to understand the complex relationship between biology and criminal behavior. While we cannot ignore the importance of environmental and social factors in shaping criminal behavior, the Positivist Theory provides an interesting perspective on the role of biology in the development of criminal tendencies.
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