At the end of the 19th century, the popularity of the classical approach began to decline as _____ criminologists focused their attentions on internal and external factors - such as poverty, IQ, and education - rather than personal choice and decision making.

At the end of the 19th century, the popularity of the classical approach began to decline as positivist criminologists focused their attentions on internal and external factors - such as poverty, IQ, and education - rather than personal choice and decision making.

Positivist criminology approach believe that criminals are born as such and are not made into criminals, it is the nature of the person, not nurture, that results in criminal propensities; in another word, it explain criminal behavior not as an exercise of free will or choice but rather as a consequence of various internal factors and external factors that affect human behavior.

The difference between the two theories of criminology are that classical criminologist is mainly based on exercise of free will and suggests that crime is but a choice, whereas positivism criminology argues that crime is not a choice but of biological, psychological,cultural, and social factors.

The positivist theory of criminology used evolutionary biology to predict whether an individual would subscribe to a life of crime. (Bailey, 2005)

fichoh fichoh · Answer 2 · 2020-03-17T03:54:16+01:00

Answer: Positivist

Explanation: The classical approach to criminology is argues that criminal tendencies or behavior is based on individual choices, free will or penchant to indulge in criminal related activities.

However, the positivist approach to criminology views criminal tendencies in human from a more scientific and empirical perspective and views criminal behavior has being a consequence of internal and external factors, which could stem from biological, psychological, social or cultural deficiency such as poverty, Education, societal imbalance, psychological trauma from past events and so on.