The Transformational Function of the Criminal Law

IF 0.4 Q2 Social Sciences New Criminal Law Review Pub Date : 2020-11-27 DOI:10.1525/nclr.2020.23.4.584
A. Corda
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引用次数: 1

Abstract

It is often maintained that the criminal law is supposed to intervene only when a certain social norm has become so significant within a given society to justify its protection by means of penal sanctions. The criminal law is thus thought to mirror a hierarchy of values it neither shapes nor contributes to building; rather, it is required to stand at least one step behind social change. This article challenges this view, presenting a normative account that contributes to the debate on what is permissible for the criminal law to try to achieve. It does so by defining and theoretically substantiating the “transformational function” of the criminal law. The term refers to the use of criminalization and punishment to change, rather than merely reflect, social norms, attitudes, and beliefs alongside, and combined with, non-penal policy-making tools in contested domains. Four operational conditions of legitimacy are identified and discussed. Within such operational boundaries, this article contends that the criminal law can play an important role in promoting social change—i.e., the establishment of new norms and values—as well as helping the coagulation of norms, attitudes, and beliefs not yet fully entrenched within the societal body.
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论刑法的转换功能
人们常常认为,只有当某种社会规范在一个特定社会中变得如此重要,以至于有理由通过刑事制裁来保护它时,刑法才应该进行干预。因此,刑法被认为反映了一种既不塑造也不有助于建立的价值观等级;相反,它需要至少落后于社会变革一步。这篇文章挑战了这一观点,提出了一个规范性的解释,有助于辩论什么是允许刑法试图实现的。它通过对刑法的“转换功能”进行界定和理论论证来实现这一目标。该术语指的是使用刑事定罪和惩罚来改变,而不仅仅是反映,社会规范,态度和信仰,以及在有争议的领域与非刑事政策制定工具相结合。确定并讨论了合法性的四种操作条件。在这样的运作范围内,本文认为刑法可以在促进社会变革方面发挥重要作用,即:建立新的规范和价值观,以及帮助凝聚尚未在社会团体中完全根深蒂固的规范、态度和信仰。
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期刊介绍: Focused on examinations of crime and punishment in domestic, transnational, and international contexts, New Criminal Law Review provides timely, innovative commentary and in-depth scholarly analyses on a wide range of criminal law topics. The journal encourages a variety of methodological and theoretical approaches and is a crucial resource for criminal law professionals in both academia and the criminal justice system. The journal publishes thematic forum sections and special issues, full-length peer-reviewed articles, book reviews, and occasional correspondence.
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