Beccaria, Cesare

Cesare Beccaria was an 18th-century Italian philosopher and jurist who is considered a founding figure of modern criminal justice. He argued that laws should be clear, fair, and designed to prevent crime rather than punish excessively. Beccaria believed that swift and certain punishment could deter wrongdoing more effectively than harshness. His influential work, *On Crimes and Punishments*, promoted ideas such as the abolition of torture and the death penalty, advocating for proportional punishments and the rights of accused individuals. His ideas helped shape contemporary legal systems focusing on justice, human rights, and rational law enforcement.