Everyone, at least once, has heard about such a thing as "the inevitability of punishment." Naturally, it is connected with jurisprudence, as well as with many other concepts related to law and order. To understand this topic, you need to give it a little more attention.
Definition
Such a thing as the inevitability of punishment arose even in the era of Ancient Rome. And its principle was quite simply and clearly formulated. Roman lawyers were sure that the effectiveness of a particular punishment was not so much in its cruelty as inevitability. That is, sooner or later, the perpetrator will be found and punished in fairness.
Of course, compliance with certain factors is also important here. The first, most important, is the reliability of the procedural legislation. It is important to prove the guilt of the one who really is the criminal, and not to make a mistake, because of which a decent citizen can suffer. From this follows the second factor, which consists in the investigation of circumstances and competence. And the third thing that should be taken into account is the general political situation in the country, which can either contribute to or hinder the commission of crimes.
Adversarial
This concept directly relates to the topic of the inevitability of punishment. The sentencing procedure implies compliance with the principle of objectivity. And it is ensured precisely by competition. This is the process by which the truth is clarified. Both parties - both the accused and the prosecutor - have absolutely equal rights in the case. All evidence should be investigated objectively, the representative of each of the parties is obliged to state their position and invite witnesses.
The legal process is very complicated. And hard - in moral terms. The accused is further oppressed by the inevitability of punishment. And not everyone can defend their rights and independently defend themselves in a lawsuit. That is why the law provides for the opportunity to use the help of a lawyer.
Other nuances
It is important to note that it is not only the principle of the inevitability of punishment that takes place. There is such a thing as timeliness. In legal law, there are norms that establish statute of limitations. This is the deadline during which a criminal is sought to bring him to justice.
In the event that it was possible to find the culprit, but the statute of limitations has already expired, they cannot show him anything. This can lead many to bewilderment, given that at the very beginning it was told about the principle of the inevitability of punishment and its importance. But in fact, everything is simple. In the first place is not punishment, but the maintenance of public order. If the person found, who had previously violated the law, no longer committed crimes and behaved like a respectable citizen, then punishing him for his last act is inappropriate.
But, of course, law enforcement agencies and the law provide a list of acts that are particularly serious. There is no statute of limitations for them. And here they are worth listing.
Particularly serious crimes
So, this category includes, first of all, terrorist acts, as well as hostage-taking. In part 4 of article 211 it is said that there is no statute of limitations for such crimes as hijacking of an air or water vessel.
The preparation, conduct, planning and unleashing of wars are also considered particularly serious crimes. As well as the use of prohibited methods of political conflict. And there is no statute of limitations for genocide and ecocide.
But what about the killing? For criminals who took the life of another person, there is a statute of limitations. He is 15 years old. For serial killings, this period is also applicable. By the way, for spying and distribution / storage / manufacture of narcotic substances, the statute of limitations is the same. The most “flexible” period is set for such a crime as theft. It is from two to ten years (depending on the details of the offense).
Situation today
Unfortunately, according to crime statistics, the number of offenses committed has grown significantly over the past year. 2015 was difficult from an economic point of view, therefore it is not surprising that citizens began to steal more and conduct financial fraud more often.
Crime statistics were released at the beginning of the current 2016. The number of violations increased by 8.6%. If you translate everything into more understandable numbers, this is what happens: in 2014, 202,100 crimes were committed less than in 2015.
About 46% are cases of theft of another's property. 996,500 thefts, 71,100 robberies and 13,400 robberies. Such data were cited in January 2016 by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. Unfortunately, the number of terrorist attacks has increased by a third. In 2015, there were 35% more (1,531 cases) than in 2014.
And there has been an increase in extremism. Over a year of cases, its manifestations increased by 27%. But on the other hand, acts on “heavy” articles became less. The number of killings fell by 6%. Crimes causing grievous bodily harm also decreased by 7.2%.
On the justice of the law
One can talk for a long time about whether the criminals bear the punishment they deserve. But this is another topic, which has, rather, a social character, and not a legal one. So in the end I would like to note what measures of criminal legal action are being taken. These are actions (not punishment) applied by the authorities in relation to the persons guilty of this or that act.
Often these are coercive medical measures. Treatment in a psychiatric hospital, for example, which applies to violators who have committed a socially dangerous act. It can also be confiscation of property, educational measures, restriction of rights (conditional term). However, the most important thing is that the criminal should not only serve his sentence, but also learn a useful lesson for himself and take the path of correction.