Criminal Man, According to the Classification of Cesare LombrosoLombroso, Gina
Science
Criminal Man, According to the Classification of Cesare Lombroso
Lombroso, Gina
Criminal anthropology; Criminology
Sometimes an appearance of remorse is produced by hallucinations due to
alcoholism. Philippe and Lucke imagined they saw the spectres of the
persons they had murdered a short time before, but in reality they were
suffering from the effects of drink and so little true remorse did they
feel that on being sentenced, Philippe remarked, "If they had not sent
me to Cayenne, I should have done it again." Generally speaking, what
seems to be repentance is only the fear of death or some superstitious
dread, which assumes an appearance of remorse, but is devoid of real
feeling.
A typical instance of hypocrisy and cynicism is furnished by the
Marquise de Brinvilliers, the notorious poisoner, who succeeded in
deceiving the venerable prison-chaplain so completely that he regarded
her as a model of penitence, yet in her last moments she wrote to her
husband denying her guilt and exhibited lascivious and revengeful
feelings.
Many criminals, when in prison, model sculptural representations of
their crimes with crumbs of bread (see Fig. 7).
_Cynicism._ The strongest proof of the total lack of remorse in
criminals and their inability to distinguish between good and evil is
furnished by the callous way in which they boast of their depraved
actions and feign pious sentiments which they do not feel. One criminal
humbly entreated to be allowed to retain his own crucifix while in
prison. It was subsequently discovered that the sacred image served as a
sheath for his dagger (see Fig. 8).
Philippe made the following statement to one of his female companions.
"My way of loving women is a very strange one. After enjoying their
caresses, I take the greatest delight in strangling them or cutting
their throats. Soon you will hear everyone talking about me." Shortly
before he murdered his father, Lachaud said to his friends, "This
evening I shall dig a grave and lay my father there to rest eternally."
Sometimes, indeed, a criminal realises dimly the depravity of his
actions; he rarely judges them, however, as a normal person would, but
seeks to explain and justify them after his own fashion. When asked by
the magistrate if he denied having stolen a horse, Ansalone replied,
"Surely you do not call that a theft; a leader of brigands could hardly
be expected to go on foot!"
Others consider that their actions are less criminal if their intentions
were good; like Holland, who murdered to obtain food for his wife and
children. Others, again, think themselves excused by the fact that many
do worse things with impunity. Any circumstance, the lack or
insufficiency of evidence against them or the fact that they are accused
of an offence different from the one they have really committed, is
seized upon as a mitigation of their guilt, and they always manifest
much resentment against those who administer the law. "London thieves,"
observes Mayhew, "realise that they do wrong, but think that they are no
worse than ordinary bankrupts."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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