Cesare Beccaria

An Italian criminologist, Cesare Beccaria lived and died in the 1700s. He influenced local economic reforms and stimulated penal reform throughout Europe. In 1764 he published An Essay on Crimes and Punishments, one of the first arguments against capital punishment and inhumane treatment of criminals. In the following viewpoint, Beccaria condemns capital punishment on several grounds, including that it is not a deterrent to crime and is irrevocable.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. Why does Beccaria believe that the death penalty may be justified if a man is a threat to government"
2. What does an execution inspire in others, according to the author? What does he say about this reaction"
3. What does Beccaria say about life imprisonment"

The useless profusion of punishments, which has never made men better, induces me to...