1. Cesare Beccaria
By: Nick Iyer, Elijah Serrano, Tessa Versace, Jaylen Harris, Renata Rangel

2. Early Life Cesare Beccaria was born in 1738, in Milan, Italy
He was the son of an aristocrat
Primary education- Jesuit school in Parma, Italy
Was a graduate of University of Parma
Formed “the academy of fists” with his friends Pietro and Alessandro Verri who encouraged him to try writing.

3. Main Beliefs
He believed that laws “existed to preserve social order, not to avenge crimes”
He also criticized many things about the justice system:
Torture
Irregular proceedings in trials
Cruel punishments (i.e. death penalty)
A person accused of crime should receive a “speedy trial” and no unfair punishment
The degree of punishment should differ based on the seriousness of the crime
Capital punishment should be abolished!

4. Published Works
His most influential being “On Crimes and Punishments”, which condemned torture and the death penalty.
When he published “On Crimes and Punishments” he published it as anonymous, so he wouldn’t get arrested
Later the government approved and he republished it but with him as the author

5. Influences/Legacies
Ideas influenced criminal law reformers in Europe and North America
Beccaria's ideas were eventually incorporated into the U.S. Bill of rights and guaranteed the abolishment of torture.
Beccaria remains remembered as a father of classical criminal theory.
Beccaria’s work greatly influenced Jeremy Bentham in his development of his doctrine of Utilitarianism.

6. Fun Facts and Famous Quotes
After Cesare died, he was known as a legend in France and England.
There is now a statue of him in Milan, Italy.
Cesare had horrible mood swings between anger and excitement, which led to depression.
In 1790, Beccaria served on a committee that promoted civil and criminal law reform in Lombardy, Italy.
Famous Quotes:
“Crimes are more effectually prevented by the certainty than the severity of punishment”
“Happy is the nation without a history.”
“The punishment of death is the war of a nation against a citizen whose destruction it judges to be necessary or useful.”

7. Works Cited
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy : Cesare Beccaria. (n.d.). Retrieved October 24, 2016, from
Abolishment of Torture - Legacy of the Enlightenment. (n.d.). Retrieved October 24, 2016, from
Cesare Beccaria - Philosopher, Economist - Biography.com. (n.d.). Retrieved October 24, 2016, from
Cesare Beccaria. (n.d.). AZQuotes.com. Retrieved October 24, 2016, from AZQuotes.com Web site: