Is Lombroso's Theory Of Criminal Behavior Biologically Determined?

Cesare Lombroso was one of the first criminologist from Italy to declare that criminal behavior is biologically determined. His theory was that criminals inherit their behavior from their parents and could also be identified by physical features such as the shape of their noses and eyes. However, criminal behavior cannot be resolved by this theory. Criminal behavior can’t be biologically determined because it may rely on how society treats the individual and what kind of environment they grew up in.
Criminologists, psychologists, and scientists have lead to believe that criminal behavior is biological. Criminology, the study of crime, can be dated as far back as the seventeenth century. The theory about criminal behavior relating to biological factors didn’t come to light until the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. They believed that the components of criminal personality was passed down from their parents. Researchers tend to study identical twins growing up in different environments to see how similar they are. Although most twins perform and react similarly to activities or events that occur in their everyday life, they show differences in social behavior. One twin has a calm, collective reaction
whereas the other is a bit more short tempered. Therefore, this sort of behavior cannot be concluded by genetics.
Criminal behavior may be determined by how society treats a person. In Anayet Hossain’s 2014 article, Relation Between Individual and Society, he states that “ Social relationships invariably possess a physical element, which takes the form of awareness of another’s presence, common objective or common interest .
Now we can say that society is the union itself, the organization, the sum of formal relations in which associating individuals are bound together.” He verifies that society has an affect on all of us and shapes who we are. Whether it was a negative or positive impact, individuals are influenced by what society tells them. Also, society is oddly intrigued by criminal acts and is plastered all over media and news outlets. So some criminals may be influenced to behave criminally if they think they’ll gain societies attention. Society has changed and will continue to change our behavior, criminally or
not. Granted, there are some criminals who suffer from mental illnesses which is biological. However, this cannot determine behavior of all criminals. According to the American Psychological Association article, Mental Illness Not Usually Linked to Crime, Research Finds, “ In a study of crimes committed by people with serious mental disorders, only 7.5 percent were directly related to symptoms of mental illness” Not all people who suffer from a mental illness are criminals or have violent behaviors. Civilization likes to assume that mentally ill people are “crazy” and “dangerous”. Mental illness isn’t a major component to criminal behavior. So what is the main element to criminal behavior? It isn’t mental disorders nor genetics. It is simply what kind of environment individuals surround themselves with. Humans are easily influenced by others. What other people do or say will eventually rub off on someone. Particularly for most criminals, they’re influenced at a young age. They’re affected by family members or friends