Cesare Lombroso (though more associated with Positivist School)

Cesare Lombroso was an Italian criminologist from the 19th century associated with the Positivist School, which believed that criminal behavior has biological and psychological roots. He theorized that some individuals are born with physical traits, such as unusual facial features or skull shapes, that predispose them to criminality. Lombroso’s ideas suggested that crime could be identified through innate, physical characteristics, challenging traditional notions that environmental factors alone influence behavior. Although his theories are now discredited, his work marked an early attempt to understand crime through scientific and biological perspectives.