engleski

Reflections on the punishment of life imprisonment: A relic of the past or a necessary social response to the most sever forms of criminality?

This paper deals with the issue of life sentence as a punishment that is still present in most global criminal law systems, despite the increased shift towards abolitionist and humanistic tendencies. This punishment originated as an alternative to the death sentence and is retained to date in various forms. The question of the justifiability of this punishment is one of the most controversial issues in the contemporary criminal law literature, and the answer to this question will depend on the socio-political context in a particular country. The authors provide a global overview of the life sentence, establishing a typology of this punishment with regards to its actual duration, present the selected comparative legislation and practice, dissect the practice of the European Court for Human Rights in this respect, discuss the arguments in favor and against this punishment and share their understanding of the purposefulness and optimal regulation of the life sentence de lege ferenda.

life sentence – death sentence – retribution – prevention – restorative justice – prison – purpose of punishment

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