Prosecution and Sentencing as an Expression of Moral Judgment in the Face of Homicide

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4322/dilemas.v14n3.43207

Keywords:

homicide, morality, narratives, criminal procedure, formal social control

Abstract

This paper addresses moral meaning of homicide within the criminal justice system, specifically through the procedural acts that reflect the practice of prosecutors and judges in defining homicide, ways for its consummation, circumstances and quantum of punishment. Based on the review of ten judicial files for convicted killers, indictments and convictions were analyzed in order to select arguments for moral inculpation and grading punishment, which overwhelmingly match between prosecutors and judges and allow to predict, from the beginning of the procedure and despite plea bargaining, the final outcome of the convicting sentence. 

Author Biography

Yoana Monsalve-Briceño, Universidad de Los Andes

Professora associada e membro do Grupo de Investigaciones Criminológicas da Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Políticas da Universidad de Los Andes (ULA, Mérida, Venezuela). É mestre em política social pelo Centro de Estudios del Desarrollo (Cendes) da Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV, Caracas, Venezuela).

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Published

2021-09-16

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 3 (2021): SET/OUT/NOV/DEZ

Section

Dossiê Violencia, Narrativa y Moralidad

License

Upon submitting a text, the authors retain copyright and grant DILEMAS - Revista de Estudos de Conflito e Controle Social the right of first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons License type attribution BY (CC-BY), which permits sharing of the work with acknowledgment of authorship and initial publication in this journal.