Subject
Criminal law Books
Best books
James Anson Farrer
Crimes and Punishments Including a New Translation of Beccaria's 'Dei Delitti e delle Pene'
"Crimes and Punishments" by James Anson Farrer is a translation and commentary on the classical work by Cesare Beccaria, written in the late 19th century. This text serves not only as a translation of Beccaria’s influential treatise on criminal law but also aims to highlight its historical significance and continuing relevance in the context of legal reform. The topics explored include the critique of torture, discussions on various forms of punishment, and the philosophical underpinnings of criminology that prioritize the rights and well-being of individuals within the justice system. At the start of the translation, Farrer provides a preface detailing Beccaria's life, the socio-political milieu of Lombardy during his time, and the lasting impact of his arguments against torture and capital punishment. He discusses how the oppressive legal practices of the time compelled Beccaria, a non-lawyer, to advocate for significant changes in criminal justice, thereby illuminating the corruption and brutality of the systems he aimed to reform. Farrer contextualizes Beccaria's work within the Enlightenment's discourse on human rights and justice, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of the philosophical and practical implications of Beccaria's theories on law and morality.
Wolter Louis Albert Collard
De 'handel in blanke slavinnen'.
"De 'handel in blanke slavinnen'" by Wolter Louis Albert Collard is a scholarly treatise written in the late 19th century. This work serves as a PhD dissertation examining the white slave trade, specifically focusing on the mechanisms and implications of trafficking women and girls into prostitution across various regions and countries. It aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the legal and societal challenges involved in combating this form of human exploitation. The opening of this dissertation introduces the grave issue of the white slave trade, discussing how deceptive practices are used to lure women into a life of prostitution, often far removed from their home environments. Collard cites specific cases and methods employed by traffickers, illustrating the complexity and international nature of this trade. He emphasizes the varying degrees of exploitation, from local trafficking to more severe cases involving international transportation of victims, thereby establishing a framework for further analysis in the subsequent chapters. These details create a somber context for understanding the systemic abuses that accompany the trade in human lives.
Clarence Darrow
Resist not evil
"Resist not evil" by Clarence Darrow is a political-philosophical treatise written in the early 20th century. It contends that states, armies, and courts are instruments of force, that punishment fails to reform or deter, and that non-resistance and humane solidarity offer the only rational path to social health. The opening of the treatise acknowledges Tolstoy’s influence and sets out a case for non-resistance by tracing the state’s origins to conquest and its modern continuity through armies, police, courts, and prisons. It argues that militarism burdens and brutalizes society, patriotism indoctrinates obedience, and standing armies chiefly exist to control domestic workers rather than repel foreign foes. Civil government is presented as militarism in disguise, enforcing property and class rule; punishment is portrayed as vengeance masquerading as justice, with shifting definitions of crime and arbitrary, harmful penalties. Early chapters attack deterrence—highlighting the brutalizing effect of public executions and the futility of prisons—and reframe crime as a social disease rooted in poverty, environment, and heredity, noting rises in “crime” in winter, hard times, and overcrowded old countries. They conclude that just judgment is impossible, proportional punishment cannot be measured, and state penalties multiply suffering by injuring families and communities, whereas food, opportunity, and kindness would address causes.
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