略论我国死刑制度改革中的两个问题

On Two Issues of China's Death Penalty Reform

刑法,同任何法律一样,都以调整社会关系为职志。由于刑法调整社会关系的广泛性和片断性使然,刑法应当因应社会结构的变迁而变化.政治、经济、文化的演变都会或多或少在刑法中看到影子。刑法是如何运用刑罚权的法律,它对社会关系的调整集中表现为刑罚权作用范围的扩张或者收缩、局部的强化或者弱化。在社会调整的意义上,刑罚权的配置和运作是主动的,当然应当保持谦抑的品格;但是,刑罚权的配置和运作应然趋向和实际效果,则受社会观念的指导和评估。同任何法律一样,刑法的任何变化都不是自发的,而是立法者对社会现实观察后的理性选择,是社会的客观要求。如此,当社会结构发生变化即发生"社会转型"的时候,刑法就应当作及时的变革,而这种变革也集中体现在刑罚权的配置和运作上。中国社会的转型,于今已是人所共见,而构建社会主义和谐社会已经成为我们的共同奋斗目标。如何确保刑事法制更好地保障中国社会转型的顺利进行,为构建和谐社会提供稳定的基石,是一项重大的课题和任务。刑罚改革,如何更好地实现刑罚权的配置和运作,在实现这一任务的过程中就显得尤为重要,是这一课题的基本内容。本刊将"社会调整与中国刑罚改革之展望"作为本期视点,邀请国内知名刑法学者进行笔谈,旨在为中国刑罚改革提供理论脉络,并希望切实启动和推进刑罚改革这一重大系统工程。这项工程既要求我们理性的反思,又需要我们积极的创造,而这项工程的竣工将为中国社会的转型、和谐社会的构建提供更积极、更有益的助力。

Criminal law, same as any other law, takes it as its basic task to regulate the social relationship. Because the specific feature of the objects which criminal law adjusts, it should change according to the change of society. Criminal law is the one how to use the power of penalty, so the adjustment on the social relationship from criminal law embodies as the expansion or contraction of the field which the power of penalty affects. From this view, the disposition and mechanism of the power may be active, while it should be modest. But, the effect of this power must be conducted and evaluated by the society. So same as any other law, any change of criminal law is not spontaneous, but the rational selection of the legislators, and essentially the objective requirement of the society. Nowadays, the transform of Chinese society is a fact, and it is our common goal to establish socialism harmonious society. It is very important topic to ensure the criminal mechanism to protect the transform more effectively and supply the foundation of the harmony of the society. The reform of penalty, to make the use of this power more smoothly and beneficially, is vital to perfect the criminal mechanism. In this volume, we have invited 5 scholars to talk about the reform of penalty in China, by this way we want to originate the process of the reform.