LEGAL PUNISHMENT: THEORETICAL JUSTIFICATIONS, CONSTITUTIONAL BOUNDARIES, AND MODERN REFORMS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/Keywords:
Legal punishment, retributivism, utilitarianism, deterrence, proportionality principle, restorative justice, penal reform, human rights.Abstract
This article examines the conceptual foundations and moral justifications of legal punishment as a fundamental mechanism of state coercion. The study systematically analyzes major theoretical paradigms—Retributivism (deontological desert and proportionality), Utilitarianism (general/specific deterrence, incapacitation, and rehabilitation), and Expressive Communication theories. Furthermore, it scrutinizes the constitutional and human rights limits placed upon state punitive power (the principle of legality, prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment) and evaluates contemporary legal movements, including restorative justice models and penal reform strategies.
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