The Nature of Crime and Punishment: Necessity, Evil, or a Necessary Evil
This essay explores influential theories of punishment, including those of Grotius, Beccaria, Kant, and Durkheim, to analyze their justifications for punishment. Special emphasis is placed on the controversial topic of capital punishment. The essay aims to answer the central question: is punishment a necessity or an evil, or both? It argues that while punishment is a necessity, certain aspects, such as capital punishment, are indeed evil.