The Criminal

First published in the late 19th century, The Criminal by Havelock Ellis is one of the earliest and most influential works in the field of criminology and psychological anthropology. Written with the precision of a scientist and the insight of a humanist, Ellis explores the mind, body, and environment of the offender, tracing how heredity, social conditions, and mental abnormality shape criminal behavior.

Drawing upon extensive case studies, prison records, and medical observation, Ellis examines the psychology of crime, the physiology of the criminal type, and the influence of environment and degeneration. His work stands at the intersection of science, sociology, and morality, offering a comprehensive portrait of how society defines—and responds to—its transgressors.

More than a study of deviance, The Criminal reflects Ellis’s lifelong concern with human motivation, reform, and the complexity of moral judgment, marking a turning point in how crime was understood in both medical and social terms.

Complete edition of Havelock Ellis’s foundational study of criminology

Analyzes the biological, psychological, and social roots of crime

A pioneering work in criminal psychology and early forensic science

Essential for readers of criminology, sociology, and the history of psychology