사형제도의 합리적 대안에 관한 연구

There had been attempts to abolish the death penalty until the 17th National Assembly. On the other hand, the three Special Laws on Death Penalty Abolishment submitted to the 18th National Assembly are different from previous ones because the core of argument is not whether to keep the death penalty system or not. The key arguments of the new 3laws are the concept and the scope of life sentence, which will replace the death penalty if the death penalty would be abolished. It is judged that this is a desirable development reflecting the current situation because the death penalty has already become dead words. It is expected that there will be more vigorous and practical discussion on the alternatives of death penalty in the future; instead of the theoretical discussion on whether to keep the death penalty or not. In order to respond to recent trend, this study advances one more step from the existing examination on the validity of concrete basis claimed by the party who support the keeping of death penalty system and the party who support the abolishment of death penalty system. This study further tries to find the answer to the question asking what would be the most reasonable alternative to death penalty, if the death penalty system would be abolished. For this, the policy directions during the transition period of death penalty alternative;such as the decrease of crimes which would be sentenced of death penalty, the effect realization equivalent to the death penalty sentence suspension and the introduction of ‘absolute life sentence’ will be discussed and the issues will be drawn. As last, the discussion will close by suggesting the content of relative life sentence and the rational operation plan for the related requirement as the ultimate policy direction of the alternatives to the death penalty system.