Vol. 9(5), pp. 214-220. November, 2021. 

ISSN: 2360-784X

https://doi.org/10.14662/ijpsd2021200

 

Full Length Research

 

Abstract

This study evaluates the perception of the Nigeria people in criminal atavism and social disorder; revisiting the thoughts of Cesare Lombroso. This study therefore, sought to understand Lombroso’s perspective of crime and social disorder by finding out notions about crime in relation to his propositions, ways in which these notions have impacted respondents’ views of criminal elements, and how this perspective on crime and social disorder can help in the resolution of criminal cases in Nigeria. The view of researchers and author adequately present literature and charts a course for the study. A cross-sectional survey of residents in the central business district of the FCT was conducted. A questionnaire was designed to obtain data on residents Statistical analysis utilized the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0. One sample T test was used to test the hypothesis set for the study and Likert scale to score the responses obtained from the questionnaire. Consequently, the results of the study reveal that majority of the respondents disagree with genetic traits as being responsible for crime. This is further posited by the hypothetical test in this study, which states that there is no relationship between the biological compositions of people with crime and social disorder in Nigeria. One thing Lombroso's work has definitely accomplished, and which will remain forever a monument to his name, and that is, that the criminal man must be studied and not simply crime in the abstract; that the criminal must be treated as an individual and not his act alone considered.

 

Keywords: atavism, crime, perception, social disorder.

 

	Cite This Article As: USMAN, O. J. (2021). Evaluating perceptions on criminal atavism and social disorder in Nigeria: revisiting the thoughts of Cesare Lombroso. Int. J. Polit. Sci. Develop. 9(5):214-220