VLVL2 (14) Cesare Lombroso, 262-273

[Otto]

(...)
"Lombroso's anatomical obsessions were part of the explosion of pseudo-
science which justified colonialism and the privileges of the wealthy. No
reform of society could help the lower orders and lesser breeds overcome
biological destiny. It was pointless to try when God or Darwin had made them
unreformable. The market for such excuses still flourishes among those rich,
white Americans who are comforted by the belief that blacks are condemned by
their genes to be poor and criminal, rather than, for instance, 250 years of
slavery and racism. Lombroso had a very good run. As late as the 1930s
judges ordered 'Lombrosian' analyses of defendants' physiques. Their very
ears were used in evidence against them.

He would probably still be cited if the 1930s had not also been his nemesis.
Like many of his contemporaries, Lombroso believed the stigmatised should be
sterilised so they couldn't produce more inferior specimens. Hitler put
eugenic theory into practice and Lombroso's name disappeared from the
conversation of polite psychological circles."
(...)

Nick Cohen, Sunday July 8, 2001, The Observer
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,6903,518531,00.html