论《刑法修正案(九)》“终身监禁”的性质

On the Nature of “Life Imprisonment”of the Ninth Amendment to the Criminal Law

我国《刑法修正案(九)》以立法的形式增设了"终身监禁",堪称刑法史上的一大突破。修正案中"终身监禁"不同于终身监禁刑,因此,"终身监禁"性质的界定是我们探讨相关问题的前提和基础。在评析"刑种说"和"措施说"等不同观点的基础上,寻求"终身监禁"性质的确立依据,从而对"终身监禁"的性质予以界定:"终身监禁"既不是刑种,也不是刑罚执行制度,而仅仅是死缓改无期徒刑之后的一种特殊的刑罚执行措施。

The＂life imprisonment＂prescribed in the form of legislation in the Ninth Amendment to the Criminal Law can be called a major breakthrough in the history of the criminal law. However,the＂life imprisonment＂in the amendment differs from the penalty of life imprisonment. Therefore,the definition of＂life imprisonment＂is the premise and foundation of the related issues. On the basis of analyzing the different views of＂punishment＂and＂measures＂,to seek the basis of the establishment of the nature of＂life imprisonment＂,the nature of＂life imprisonment＂should be defined. ＂Life imprisonment＂is not a punishment,and not the penalty execution system,but merely a special way of penalty execution after the changes of life imprisonment from reprieve.