This document discusses different philosophies of punishment throughout history. It summarizes Hammurabi's "eye for an eye" principle of proportional punishment. It then discusses Cesare Beccaria's view that punishment should only be used to defend social contracts and should use the method that provides the greatest public good. Next it covers Cesare Lombroso's theory that some individuals are naturally predisposed to commit certain crimes. The document then questions present-day prosecution of young offenders and the role of family and education in preventing crime. It concludes by asking what we want to achieve with young offenders and the roles of family and education.

1. Why do we punish and what for
Prof. David Luigi FUSCHI PhD

2. Table of content
Hammurabi - eye for eye
Cesare Beccaria - proportional punishment
Cesare Lombroso - naturally born criminals
Present times
What's next

3. Hammurabi - eye for eye
If a man destroy the eye of
another man, they shall destroy
his eye.... (i.e. eye for eye)
Can we really accept this?
What are the consequences of this approach?
Why so many individuals do still thing so?
Why so many think that “self justice” is
naturally based on this?
Babylonia c. 1810 BC
Babylonia 1750 BC

4. Cesare Beccaria - proportional punishment
Punishment punishment is
justified only to defend the social
contract… and the method of
punishment selected should be
that which serves the greatest
public good...
Have we forgot this?
Why often imprisonment is often a perfection
school in crime?
Milan 15 Mar 1738
Milan 28 Nov 1794

5. Cesare Lombroso - naturally born criminals
Certain individuals are “born”
predisposed for committing
certain crimes...
Can we really accept this?
What are the consequences of this approach?
Why so many individuals do still thing so?
Where is the responsibility of the family and
social context?
Verona 06 Nov 1835
Turin 19 Oct 1909

6. Present times
In countries like UK the prosecution age for a
crime like “murder” can be as low as 8 years (*)
How do we expect the offender to understand the gravity of
own actions if s/he is living in a context where media
promote violence beyond any reasonable level of
acceptance (see some of the most favored cartoons &
manga)?
(*) Scotland

7. What's next
What do we want to achieve with young offenders?
What role do we assign to the family?
What role do we assign to the educational system?
- Do we dream to contain / eradicate crime or do we simply
want to contain it in the younger generations?
- Do we believe in the role of “Education” in preventing (or
at least containing) the probability of youngsters to offend?

8. Discussion

9. Thank You!