Citation

Walsh A, Wright JP. Crim. Justice Stud. Crit. J. Crime Law Soc. 2015; 28(1): 124-140.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/1478601X.2015.1006862

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Biosocial criminology has been subjected to criticism from its beginning as 'biological determinism' and 'positivist.' Having lost that argument and being confronted with the ever-growing biosocial literature, criticism now tends to be more normative, ideological, and philosophical and revolves around such issues as the reality of crime, reductionism, and essentialism. Recent attacks have also noted the use of natural science technology (genotyping, brain scanning, and so on) by biosocial criminologists that have led them to believe that they work with 'immaculate data.' We counter these arguments from the perspective of a philosophical school known as critical realism.

Language: en