This video traces the beginnings of biological explanations of criminal behavior—starting with early 19th‑century theories that labeled certain individuals as “born criminals” based on physical features—and highlights how evolutionary ideas and eugenics fueled forced sterilization and racial hygiene policies. For a class on biological perspectives, it provides valuable historical context: showing how simplistic biological determinism led to abuses, and why contemporary biosocial criminology must carefully integrate genetics, environment, and ethics.
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