Leniency and Severity in China’s Death Penalty Debate

30 Pages Posted: 24 Jul 2012

Date Written: June 1, 2011

Abstract

China has implemented an initial wave of death penalty reforms that returned final review power of all capital cases to the Supreme People’s Court and reportedly significantly curbed executions. After reviewing recent legal developments concerning capital cases, this Article explores how the initial push to reduce use of the death penalty has given way to a more complex and nuanced debate over what factors should determine when the death penalty is appropriate. At this juncture in the reform trajectory, the dilemma of when to be lenient and when to be severe is particularly acute as public opinion chafes against a rapid decline in executions, especially when those treated leniently are affluent and/or politically well-connected.

Keywords: China, criminal law, death penalty, capital punishment

Suggested Citation

Lewis, Margaret K., Leniency and Severity in China’s Death Penalty Debate (June 1, 2011). Columbia Journal of Asian Law, Vol. 24, No. 2, 2011, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2116614

Margaret K. Lewis (Contact Author)

Seton Hall Law School ( email )

One Newark Center
Newark, NJ 07102-5210
United States

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
227
Abstract Views
1,980
Rank
215,878
PlumX Metrics