Prison in the light ofhuman rights: Analysis of limits to legitimate state punitive power
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22335/rlct.v6i1.139Keywords:
Criminal law, imprisonment, alternatives to imprisonment, purposes of punishment, criminal system, criminal policyAbstract
Imprisonments in Colombia are the main outcome of criminal procedures. It is also the scenery that best illustrates the illegitimacy of the prison punishments in the legal system, taking into account the principles of the legal order. Currently there is, indeed, a lack of external legitimation of Criminal Law, which has been provided with the “function of última ratio” in the social sciences. That is, a fundamental element of social control. As important as it is, the delegitimizationof imprisonment due to its excessive use in Colombia presents many flaws if we consider the principle of proportionality. Therefore, in the Colombian context, the legal system is not oriented towards its goal of sustaining the model of State that is established in the Political Constitution in the first article, which claims that the latter is based on the respect for human dignity. In this paper I state that the excessive use of imprisonment as the main punishment in Colombia´s legal system contrasts the model of State proclaimed in the constitution. This, prison, currently an anachronistic institution, must be limited only to serious crimes. Several alternatives to jail are presented, making an emphasis on the importance to provide as well alternatives to delinquency.
Downloads
References
Bartol Curl, R. (1986). Criminal Behavior. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
Benito Dura, M. (2009). Sistemas penitenciarios y penas alternativas en Iberoamérica. Valencia: Tirant lo Blanch.
De la Mata Barranco, N. (2007). El principio de proporcionalidad penal. Valencia: Tirant lo Blanch.
De Rivacoba Y Ribacova, M. (1993). Función y aplicación de la pena. Buenos Aires: Depalma.
Demetrio Crespo, E. (1999). Prevención general e individualización judicial de la pena. Salamanca: Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca.
Ferrajoli, L. (2006). Democracia y Garantismo. Madrid: Trotta.
Ferrajoli, L. (2000). Derecho y Razón. Madrid: Trotta.
Ferrajoli, L. (2006). Garantismo. Madrid: Trotta.
Ferrel, J. (2005). Crime and Culture. New York: Oxford University Press.
García Acuña, Y. (2012). Rutas por la memoria. Barranquilla: Ediciones Universidad Simón Bolívar.
García- Pablos de Molina, A. (2007). Criminología. 6ta ed. Valencia: Tirant lo Blanch.
García- Pablos de Molina, A. (2003). Tratado de Criminología. 3era ed. Valencia: Tirant lo Blanch.
Herrero Herrero, C. (2007). Criminología. Madrid: Dykinson.
Meza García, S. (2013). Política criminal y fines de la pena. Estudio crítico en Colombia. [Tesis de Maestría]. Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca.
Newburn, T. (2007). Criminology. Oregón: Willan Publishing.
Reyes Echandia, A. (1982). Criminología. Bogotá: Universidad Externado de Colombia.
Rico, J. (1977). Crimen y Justicia. Madrid: Siglo veintiuno editores.
Robespierre, M. (2011). Discurso sobre la trascendencia y la personalidad de las penas. Buenos Aires: Ediar.
Roxin, C. (2010). Derecho penal. Parte General Tomo I. Fundamentos. La estructura de la teoría del delito. Madrid: Thomson Civitas.
Sanz Mulas, N. (2000). Alternativas a la pena privativa de libertad. Madrid: Colex.
Taylor, I., Walton, P., Young, J. (1990). La nueva criminología. Buenos Aires: Amorrortu editores.
Zaffaroni, E. R. (2011). La palabra de los muertos. Buenos Aires: Ediar.
Zaffaroni, E. R. (1982). Política criminal Latinoamericana. Buenos Aires: Hammurabi.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This journal provides free and immediate access to its content (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode#languages), under the principle that making research available to the public free of charge supports greater global knowledge exchange. This means that the authors transfer the Copyrights to the journal, so that the material can be copied and distributed by any means, as long as the authors’ recognition is maintained, and the articles are not commercially used or modified in any way.
