Cesare Lombroso presenting his theory of born criminals

The Formative School: The Classical Formative School and the Modern Formative School

The Formative School represents a pivotal paradigm in criminology, emphasizing the exploration of criminal behavior through biological, psychological, and sociological lenses. Emerging as a response to classical theories, this school of thought bridges scientific rigor with practical applications. By examining the origins and evolution of criminal tendencies, the Formative School has significantly contributed to understanding,…

Lombroso's Theory and Its Evaluation: A Historical Insight into the Classical Formation School of Criminology
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Lombroso’s Theory and Its Evaluation: A Historical Insight into the Classical Formation School of Criminology

Introduction The Classical Formation School of criminology marks a significant turning point in understanding crime and criminal behavior. Among its most influential contributors was Cesare Lombroso, an Italian physician and criminologist whose theories profoundly shaped the early development of the field. Lombroso introduced the idea that criminality was biologically determined, challenging the classical view that…

A historical depiction of Cesare Lombroso studying a skull in a 19th-century laboratory, surrounded by books, anatomical models, and criminal sketches, symbolizing the Positivist School's scientific and anthropological approach to criminology.

The Positivist School and the Anthropological Interpretatio

Introduction The emergence of the Positivist School marked a revolutionary phase in criminology, steering the discipline towards a more scientific approach to understanding criminal behavior. By focusing on empirical evidence, the Positivist School challenged earlier philosophical and moralistic interpretations of crime, offering a framework rooted in observable and measurable phenomena. Central to this movement was…