Modernizing and activating Beccaria’s proportionality

Cesare Beccaria (1738-1794) offered a progressive view of punishment centered on a law-based proportionality for fair and effective crime prevention. Moderation of severity was placed in the hands of legislators and in the laws. Political proportionality, which eschews moderation of severity, domina...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Marwah, Sanjay (Author)
Contributors: Joplin, Jerry W.
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2020
In: Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Criminology
Year: 2020, Volume: 12, Pages: 37-51
Online Access: Volltext (kostenfrei)
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Description
Summary:Cesare Beccaria (1738-1794) offered a progressive view of punishment centered on a law-based proportionality for fair and effective crime prevention. Moderation of severity was placed in the hands of legislators and in the laws. Political proportionality, which eschews moderation of severity, dominates modern crime prevention. Current preferences for legal decision-making reflects generalized disproportionality applicable to all offenders. The limits of legislative and politicized proportionality necessitate modifying Beccaria’s proportionality to modern contexts, and the principle and concept of specific proportionality offer a viable alternative. Contextualization, inquiry, and intralegal engagement underpin discretion-based specific proportionality. Modernizing proportionality, while presenting some challenges, offers significant benefits to society.
Item Description:Literaturverzeichnis: Seite 50-51