형벌을 제한하는 원칙으로서의 비례성원칙

The principle of proportionality is widely applied in the theory of criminal law. In the field of security measures, the principle of proportionality is currently used as a tool for the restriction of each principle of proportionality that is constantly extended by the preventive action requests. Also it is employed as a framework to concretize the determination of punishment based on the principle of liability in the light of the criminal punishment. Though the principle of proportionality has the potential for wide application, it has been criticized for not only being abstract law principle but also missing the role of dispute resolution in a concrete case. Prof. Dr. Ulfrid Neumann at the University of Frankfurt, who is the author of this article, has attempted directly to answer these complex questions. On the basis of the demonstration method of judicial precedents from the Federal Constitutional Court as well as the provision which was prescribed in German criminal code § 62 (the principle of proportionality of security measures), he concretely analyzed the types of the structural limitations under the proving process of the concrete principles including suitability (Geeignetheit), necessity (Erforderlichkeit) and sufficiency (Angemessenheit). With respect to the field of legal interest (Rechtsgutslehre) that discusses the validity on the decriminalization of elements of a crime, he addressed the difficulties on the evaluation of the principle of proportionality in depth. Though this process, the specific limitation of the principle of proportionality was recognized for performing the function on the restriction of the legislation as the public are concerned with that. Despite the weakness of the principle of proportionality, his keen insights lead to not only a provision of a hidden function of the principle of proportionality in the proving process but also the reason why the principle of proportionality should be applied as the justice tool for the limits of punishment.