论刑事追诉时效的本质:一个刑法和刑诉法交叉的视角

On the Nature of the Criminal Statute of Limitations from the Perspective of the Intersection of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedural Law

刑事追诉时效是介乎刑事实体法和刑事程序法之间的重要制度,探寻其本质需横跨两大部门法。实体法进路主张,刑事追诉时效的经过会改变行为的实体性质,消灭既有的刑事不法抑或使刑罚目的落空,从而否定国家刑罚权。然而,这一进路难以成立。相较而言,程序法进路更为妥当。程序法进路主张,刑事追诉时效的经过所影响的并非国家刑罚权,而仅是程序法意义上的国家追诉权。也就是说,刑事追诉时效在本质上是刑事追诉的程序障碍。此障碍的设置,目的在于避免误判风险、提高司法效率以及贯彻迅速原则。明确刑事追诉时效制度的本质,有助于“追诉时效的溯及力”以及“追诉时效延长”等争议问题的处理。

The statute of limitations in criminal prosecution is an important institution that lies between criminal law and criminal procedure law.Exploring its essence requires a cross-disciplinary approach.The approach of substantive law argues that the process of the statute of limitations changes the nature of the act,either eliminating the existing criminal wrongdoing or rendering the purpose of punishment futile,thereby negating the state’s power to impose criminal penalties.However,this approach is difficult to substantiate.The approach of procedural law is more appropriate.It argues that the approach of the statute of limitations does not affect the state’s power to impose criminal punishment,but only the the power of prosecution in the sense of procedural law.In other words,the statute of limitations fundamentally serves as an obstacle to criminal prosecution procedures.The purpose of this obstacle is to avoid the risk of wrongful convictions,improve judicial efficiency,and uphold the principle of expeditiousness.Clarifying the essence of the statute of limitations in criminal prosecution will help address controversial issues such as the“retroactive effect of the statute of limitations”and“extension of the statute of limitations.”