Question:medium

Who among the following eminent criminologists are considered as the exponents of Positive School?
A. Raffaele Garofalo
B. Cesare Lombroso
C. Enrico Ferri
D. Richard Quinney
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Show Hint

Remember the "Italian Triumvirate" of Lombroso, Ferri, and Garofalo as the pioneers of the Positivist School. Their work, though now largely outdated, was revolutionary for introducing scientific methods to the study of crime.
Updated On: Feb 18, 2026
  • A, B and D only
  • A, B and C only
  • A, B, C and D
  • B, C and D only
Show Solution

The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Introduction to the Positive School:
The Positive School of Criminology, established in the late 1800s, diverged from the Classical School's emphasis on free will. Positivism posits that criminal behavior stems from biological, psychological, and social factors, advocating for a scientific approach to studying criminals.
Step 2: Key Figures and Their Affiliations:
Let's examine the criminologists and their respective schools of thought:

A. Raffaele Garofalo, B. Cesare Lombroso, and C. Enrico Ferri, collectively known as the "Holy Trinity" or the "Italian School," are the founders of the Positive School.\
Lombroso focused on biological influences, specifically the "born criminal."\
Ferri highlighted the importance of social and economic factors, in addition to biological ones.\
Garofalo contributed with the concepts of "natural crimes" and sociological definitions.\

D. Richard Quinney, an American sociologist, is a key figure in the Radical or Critical School of Criminology from the 1960s and 70s. This school views crime as a consequence of capitalist class conflict and the state's power to define criminality.
Step 3: Conclusion:
Cesare Lombroso, Enrico Ferri, and Raffaele Garofalo are the primary representatives of the Positive School. Richard Quinney belongs to a separate, later school of thought. Therefore, options A, B, and C are correct.
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