What is the Modern School of Criminal Law?

The modern school of criminal law developed in the early 20th century. This school of thought is different from the classical school. The modern school prioritizes humanist thinking and focuses more on improving the behavior of criminal offenders. According to the modern school, the purpose of criminal law is not only to punish offenders, but also to correct the behavior of these offenders so that they do not commit criminal acts in the future.

Characteristics of the Modern School of Criminal Law

Some characteristics of the modern school of criminal law include:

  1. The main purpose of criminal law is to prevent criminal acts and correct the behavior of criminal offenders.
  2. Punishment should be tailored to the level of the crime committed, but should also take into account certain factors such as the age, health condition, and social background of the offender.
  3. The criminal law system must provide opportunities for rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders into society.
  4. The criminal law system must take into account human rights and uphold the principles of justice.

Differences between the two schools of criminal law

Although both aim to create a good society, there are fundamental differences between the classical and modern schools of criminal law. Some of the differences between the two are as follows: