Female Criminal as an Object of Study in Praskovya Tarnovskaya’s Criminal Anthropology

The article examines the intellectual legacy and contributions of Praskovya Nikolaevna Tarnovskaya (1848–1910) – a leading figure in the Russian school of criminal anthropology during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. While historiographical interest in Russian criminological thought has grown, and numerous works have highlighted Tarnovskaya’s pioneering role in the study of female criminality, key aspects of her theoretical framework remain underexplored. The analysis focuses on Tarnovskaya’s methodological approach, emphasizing that the she never absolutized anthropometric methods in the study of deviant individuals. Instead she emphasized importance of understanding the offender’s personality, particularly the psychological distortions underlying criminal behavior. In developing her typology of female criminals – categorizing them as prostitutes, thieves and murderers – Tarnovskaya acknowledged its provisional nature, recognizing the need for refinement as empirical data expanded and theoretical models evolved. For Tarnovskaya, the central objective of criminal anthropology was to reveal the hereditary determinants of crime. She argued that a society equipped with precise scientific knowledge of the root causes of criminal thought and behavior would be better positioned to implement effective preventive measures and optimize rehabilitation strategies for offenders. The contemporary relevance of studying Praskovya Tarnovskaya’s work lies in its potential to inform critical assessments of modern criminal justice and penitentiary systems. By identifying systemic shortcomings and advancing evidence-based reforms, her insights may contribute to the development of more rational and effective approaches to crime prevention and correctional practices.

Keywords: criminal anthropology; Praskovya Tarnovskaya; anthropometry; hereditary causes of crime; female criminal; criminal proceedings; penitentiary system; crime prevention