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Events - 15.08.2014 - 00:00 

Crisis in criminal law?

From 18 September 2014 onwards, criminal law expert Martin Killias will focus on the issue of violence in a public lecture course. In this three-part course, he will deal with the Swiss penal system in a historical context and in an international comparison.
Source: HSG Newsroom

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11 September 2014. Last semester, the lecture on how to deal with dangerous criminals attracted a great deal of interest among the audience. This semester Martin Killias, Professor of Criminal Law, Criminal Procedural Law and Criminology, continues on the topic of violence under the heading of "The crisis of criminal law".

Punishments are meted out to change convicts for the better and to reintegrate them. In addition, punishments contribute towards the safeguard of the social order and the restitution of justice. The severity of punishments is stipulated in criminal law. And exactly this is unique in Switzerland, says Killias: "Hardly anywhere else do so few perpetrators of serious offences end up in prison, nowhere else is juvenile law so offender-oriented and lenient." This often leads to frustration among the population.

In his three-part lecture, Killias outlines how the Swiss penal system evolved in history. Additionally, he compares Swiss criminal law with that of other countries. He also gives public opinion a voice in his lecture. Furthermore, he shows ways in which the most obvious deficiency in Swiss criminal law could be eliminated – without any excessive changes to the system.

The lectures will take place at the University of St.Gallen in Room HSG 01-U121 and will start on Thursdays at 6.15 p.m.

Image: Photocase / chris82

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