Which theory emphasizes the application of scientific techniques to the study of crime and criminals, with behavior viewed as determined?

Which theory emphasizes the application of scientific techniques to the study of crime and criminals, with behavior viewed as determined?

• A. Classical School
• B. Positive School
• C. Phrenology
• D. Biological School

Answer: (B)

The main idea tested is that crime is examined using scientific methods and that criminal behavior is determined by factors beyond a person’s volition. The Positive School embodies this approach by applying empirical research, data collection, and systematic analysis to understand crime, treating behavior as the product of biological, psychological, and social influences. This deterministic view contrasts with the Classical School, which centers on free will and rational choice, and with phrenology, an outdated pseudoscience linking skull shape to criminality. It also aligns with a broader focus within the Biological School on physical and physiological factors, but its emphasis on using scientific techniques to study crime and criminals and to explain behavior makes it the best fit.

The main idea tested is that crime is examined using scientific methods and that criminal behavior is determined by factors beyond a person’s volition. The Positive School embodies this approach by applying empirical research, data collection, and systematic analysis to understand crime, treating behavior as the product of biological, psychological, and social influences. This deterministic view contrasts with the Classical School, which centers on free will and rational choice, and with phrenology, an outdated pseudoscience linking skull shape to criminality. It also aligns with a broader focus within the Biological School on physical and physiological factors, but its emphasis on using scientific techniques to study crime and criminals and to explain behavior makes it the best fit.