Legal, Philosophical, Political and Sociological Aspects of Punishment

Punishment as one of the pillars of criminal justice has a complex nature that can be studied from different aspects. Up to now, the major work on the punishment has been from the criminal law framework, but philosophers, politics and sociologists also focused on the issue of punishment in scattered. Each of them, with their specific goals and methods, is studying the institution of punishment and trying to explain the nature, features and functions of punishment, and its relationship with other phenomena. This article attempts, by using the results of legal, philosophical, political and sociological sciences, to draw a comprehensive figure of the punishment institution. From the author's perspectives, one-dimensional view can’t show all realities of criminal punishment, and hence, it is necessary to criminal policy-makings to pay attention to the plurality aspects of punishment. Importance of attention to all aspects of punishment is not merely a theoretical value, but also it has practical value. Paying attention to all aspects of punishment, in addition to scientific and theoretical value, has also practical value.