<P> This school developed during a major reform in penology, when society began designing prisons for the sake of extreme punishment . This period also saw many legal reforms, the French Revolution, and the development of the legal system United States . </P> <P> The Positivist school argues criminal behavior comes from internal and external factors out of the individual's control . Philosophers within this school applied the scientific method to study human behavior . Positivism comprises three segments: biological, psychological and social positivism . </P> <P> Cesare Lombroso (1835 - 1909), an Italian sociologist working in the late 19th century, is often called "the father of criminology ." He was one of the key contributors to biological positivism and founded the Italian school of criminology . Lombroso took a scientific approach, insisting on empirical evidence for studying crime . He suggested physiological traits such as the measurements of cheek bones or hairline, or a cleft palate (the belief was this was a throwbacks to Neanderthals) could indicate "atavistic" criminal tendencies . This approach, whose influence came via the theory of phrenology and by Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, has been superseded . Enrico Ferri, a student of Lombroso, believed social as well as biological factors played a role, and believed criminals should not be held responsible when factors causing their criminality were beyond their control . Criminologists have since rejected Lombroso's biological theories, with control groups not used in his studies . </P> <P> Sociological positivism suggests societal factors such as poverty, membership of subcultures, or low levels of education predispose people to crime . Adolphe Quetelet used data and statistical analysis to study the relationship between crime and sociological factors . He found age, gender, poverty, education, and alcohol consumption were important factors to crime . Lance Lochner performed three different research experiments, each one proving education reduces crime . Rawson W. Rawson used crime statistics to suggest a link between population density and crime rates, with crowded cities producing more crime . Joseph Fletcher and John Glyde read papers to the Statistical Society of London on their studies of crime and its distribution . Henry Mayhew used empirical methods and an ethnographic approach to address social questions and poverty, and gave his studies in London Labour and the London Poor . Émile Durkheim viewed crime as an inevitable aspect of society, with uneven distribution of wealth and other differences among people . </P>

Who is known as the father of criminology