Abstract

The exercise of the punitive and coercive role of the state with regard to the offenders materializes in the penalty system regulated by the criminal law, and their effectiveness can be assessed according to the extent to which the purpose of the punishment has been reached and the impact on the offender, in particular, and of the whole of society in general. Any penalty aims to apply a sanctioning treatment to the offender in order to prevent the commission of new offenses, which implies an adequate individualization of the social reaction to the prejudicial acts prescribed by the criminal law. An individualized social response is particularly necessary in cases of minors and persons assimilated to them, which implies that those who have committed criminal offenses must be subject to measures combining the severity of the criminal sanction with care for their education and re-education, to fill the gaps in previous education and for their reintegration into the right members of society.

Authors and Affiliations