ABSTRACT
The foundations of the biological variant of the predestined actor model of crime and criminal behaviour – or biological positivism – can be located primarily in the work of Cesare Lombroso, Enrico Ferri and Raffaele Garofalo. These early and highly influential biological criminologists – or the Italian School as they are usually collectively known – argued that criminology should focus primarily on the scientific study of criminals and criminal behaviour. Both their methodology – and clearly some of their findings – might seem highly simplistic and even laughable by the standards of today but they nevertheless established an enduring scientific tradition which has become increasingly sophisticated over the years and at the time of writing is enjoying something of an explanatory renaissance.
