死刑的法理学研究——以死刑的威慑为视域

A Study of Death Sentence from the Jurisprudence Perspective——A View Based on the Deterrent Force of Death Sentence

在哲学理论的对照下,制度是具体实践的体现;而在固定的制度本身的对照下,实践又是一种更为具体的特殊个案的体现。在社会公众的基本观念之中,死刑无疑是最具威慑力的刑罚,在此种威慑力的震慑作用下,可以有效地达到预防和打击犯罪的目的。进入到20世纪70年代以来,死刑的威慑力有效说却遭受到了严厉的抨击,死刑的存在对于法而言是良或恶在学界也展开了激烈的探讨,对此可以死刑威慑力为视域探讨死刑如何具备正当性与合理性。一是死刑威慑力的辩考;二是死刑威慑与死刑的作用;三是对死刑制度的“正当性”反思。具体而言,死刑的威慑力问题不能一概而论,其分别作用于立法与司法,死刑的存在仍然具备其他刑罚不具备的威慑力与深厚的人伦价值基础,其存在符合法本身所应具备的“正当性”之哲理、法理与社会心理,同时需注意严格限制死刑的适用与提升死刑适用的正义价值。

In the basic view of the public,there is no doubt that death sentence is the most deterrent penalty.Under the deterrent effect of this deterrent force,the purpose of preventing and cracking down on crimes can be achieved effectively.Since the entry into the 1970s,the theory of the effectiveness of the deterrent force of death sentence is subject to severe criticism.There has been fierce discussion within the academic circles about whether death sentence has the deterrent force and to what extent the deterrent force of it has come.The discussion about whether the death sentence should be abolished and the critical point in ascertaining whether the death sentence has deterrent force can be started from 3 aspects,first,the identification and evaluation of the deterrent force the death sentence has;second,a discussion of the deterrent effect the death sentence has in terms of the effect of death sentence;third,a reflection on the justification of the rules of death sentence.More specifically,the deterrent force of death sentence,whether it is at high or low level,is changing according to a concrete circumstance the country is in under a specific historical condition,and absolutely,can not be generalized.Additionally,the deterrent force the death sentence has,if considered based on the rules of the death sentence themselves,has separate effect both on the legislation and judicature.The death sentence still has the deterrent force and the basis of profound ethical value which other criminal penalties do not have.Apart from that,more attention needs to be paid to among other things,the strict restriction of the application of death penalty and the improvement of the justice value of the application of death sentence.The less use of death sentence and be prudent in using death sentence will be the choices of China in developing its rule of the criminal law over a long period of time in the future.