Of Crimes and PunishmentsFrom a young Italian philosopher came perhaps the most significant essay on criminal law: Cesare Beccaria's Of Crimes and Punishments. It was immediately acclaimed by the international community of scholars, philosophers, salon crowds, statesmen, and even monarchs. Praised by Benjamin Franklin and Jefferson (who quoted Beccaria in his inaugural address), and in Europe, by Bentham and Voltaire, Beccaria's treatise is a systematic analysis of the issues that ought to inspire a sound judicial system: an emphasis on crime prevention, prompt punishment, and the nature of the death penalty as a non-deterrent - and, above all the belief in the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. Of Crimes and Punishments was not only read, discussed, and questioned by the best minds of the time, but was instrumental in bringing about actual legislative reforms. With a foreword by Mario Cuomo and an introduction by leading criminologist Marvin E. Wolfgang, Of Crimes and Punishments shows how the cogent arguments carried forward from two centuries ago are still relevant to the contemporary debates on crime and punishment. |
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accomplices accused actions Alessandro Verri allow assassinated atrocious Augustin de Thou authority barbarous Beccaria become Capital punishment Carlo Goldoni Cesare Beccaria citizen committed common condemned confession confiscation consequences contradiction court Crimes and Punishments criminal cruel cruelty custom death depend deprived despotism disgrace effect enlightened equally error essay evidence evils false favour fear force guilty happiness high treason honour human impression imprisonment impunity increase individual infamy inflicted innocent interest interrogation J.J. Rousseau Jesuit judge justice king legislator less liberty magistrates man's mankind men's ment mind morality motives nation nature necessary never obscure offender opinion pain passions pederasty penalty pleasure political prescriptive period prevent principles prison proof proportion reason religion Romans sentiments slaves social contract society sovereign spirit things thou throne tion Titus Oates torture Trajan truth tyranny useless virtue Voltaire Voltaire's note weak words