Final answer:
Criminals could be differentiated from noncriminals by distinctive facial features according to Lombroso's outdated theory. Today, criminal identification involves witness statements, forensic evidence, and methods like geographic profiling. Police also use resources like Bloodhounds for tracking.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Cesare Lombroso's theory, which is now largely discredited, criminals could be differentiated from noncriminals by distinctive physical features. Lombroso, often referred to as the father of modern criminology, proposed that criminals display what he considered to be atavistic features, which were seen as evolutionary throwbacks. These included characteristics 'distinctive facial features' such as a prominent jaw, high cheekbones, and certain asymmetries of the face and skull among others.
Today, the identification of criminals by law enforcement does not rely on such physical characteristics, but rather on a mix of witness statements, forensic evidence, and sometimes more complex methods like geographic profiling and analysis of crime patterns. Geographic profiling, for instance, assesses spatial patterns in criminal behavior, recognizing that while criminals may commit offences near their homes, they often avoid committing crimes too close to prevent recognition.
Additionally, police may utilize resources like trained animals, such as Bloodhounds, that have a strong sense of smell due to a larger number of olfactory bulbs to track scents related to the criminals.