Publisher's Synopsis
Of Crimes and Punishments is a groundbreaking work of criminology and penology written by Cesare Bonesana, Marchese Beccaria in 1764. The book is considered to be one of the most influential works in the history of criminal justice and has had a profound impact on the development of modern criminal law.In this book, Beccaria argues that punishment should be proportionate to the crime committed and that the purpose of punishment should be to deter future criminal behavior rather than to exact revenge. He also argues that the criminal justice system should be based on the principles of fairness, equality, and due process.Beccaria's ideas were revolutionary at the time and challenged the prevailing view that punishment should be harsh and arbitrary. He argued that the use of torture and the death penalty were not only ineffective as deterrents but also morally wrong.Of Crimes and Punishments had a significant impact on the development of criminal law in Europe and the United States. Beccaria's ideas influenced the drafting of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and his work is still studied by criminologists and legal scholars today.Overall, Of Crimes and Punishments is a seminal work that challenged the prevailing views of its time and laid the groundwork for modern criminal justice systems. It remains an important text for anyone interested in the history and philosophy of law and justice.If the power of interpreting laws be an evil, obscurity in them must be another, as the former is the consequence of the latter. This evil will be still greater if the laws be written in a language unknown to the people; who, being ignorant of the consequences of their own actions, become necessarily dependent on a few, who are interpreters of the laws, which, instead of being public and general, are thus rendered private and particular.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
