The function of punishment in light of modern criminology

Authors

  • Élio Morselli

Keywords:

Punishment, Retribution, General prevention, Criminology, Culpability

Abstract

The article examines the function of punishment in light of contributions from modern criminology, dynamic psychology and sociology. The exposition starts from the observation that criminal dogmatics must reexamine its fundamental problems based on the social sciences, and traverses the historical answers to the question of why we punish, from retribution to special and general prevention. The investigation analyzes the failure of the treatment ideology and the proposal of positive or integrative general prevention, sustaining that the effects attributed to the latter are, in truth, induced effects of the retributive function. The text concludes that punishment is reintegrative of collective values only when it preserves its retributive meaning.

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Author Biography

Élio Morselli

Professor de Direito Penal.

References

KANT, E. Grundlegung zur Metaphysik der Sitten.

HEGEL, G. W. F. Grundlinien der Philosophie des Rechts.

HAFFKE, B. Tiefenpsychologie und Generalprävention. 1976.

Published

1997-07-01

How to Cite

MORSELLI, Élio. The function of punishment in light of modern criminology. Brazilian Journal of Criminal Science, São Paulo, v. 19, n. 19, p. 39–46, 1997. Disponível em: https://publicacoes.ibccrim.org.br/index.php/RBCCRIM/article/view/3618. Acesso em: 20 oct. 2026.

Issue

Section

International Doctrine
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