Abstract

In literature and the humanities, guilt has the same major importance as in penal law. Due to the anthropocentric legal system, however, guilt is the linchpin par excellence within the framework of penal law. The article confirms this emphasis on guilt through an examination of the constitutional determinants of penal law, the development of the concept of guilt, and also a change in its perspective which has shifted to an emphasis on the purpose of punishment rather than on the reasons for it. Penal law is intended to ensure legal peace and map out a path for reconciliation within society.