A conviction is a sentence handed down by a judge or court.
The action and effect of condemning is called condemnation . This is the sentence that a judge or court imposes on a prisoner after a trial . For example: "The rapist will receive an exemplary sentence, according to what was anticipated by sources close to the process" , "Tomorrow the sentence in the Gutiérrez case will be known" , "Without a conviction, there is no justice" .
The conviction is associated with a sentence, which is the judicial resolution that puts an end to litigation. This ruling recognizes the reason or right of one of the parties involved in the process, forcing the other to comply with certain obligations. If the accused is found innocent, he is acquitted; In other words, he is not condemned.
We can speak, therefore, of a conviction or sentence when the judge (or court) accepts the claim of the plaintiff or accuser. Otherwise, there is talk of an acquittal or acquittal . In both cases, the sentence can be final (no appeals are possible) or appealable (it accepts appeals to be filed).
conditional sentence
A sentence that suspends the execution of a sentence for a certain period is known as a conditional sentence , establishing that it will only become effective if a certain condition is met (if the accused commits a new crime). In this way, the accused person's freedom of movement is returned, which he will automatically lose if he decides to commit a crime again.
It should be noted that this judicial remedy does not suspend the sentence, but rather its execution; In other words, it is a true condemnation. From the various debates that this topic has raised, it is clear that the potential deprivation of liberty , in cases in which the accused commits a crime once his sentence has been suspended, acts as a kind of threat, as an irrevocable warning that there will be no second chance.
Deprivation of liberty is the sentence provided for certain crimes.
Death penalty
It should be noted that several countries accept the death sentence as a valid sentence to resolve a trial, and this sparks an endless series of debates and discussions. The crimes that merit this action are known as capital crimes ; Historically, the death penalty was also applied to punish political dissent. Currently this measure has been abolished in much of Europe , with the exception of Belarus ; in Oceania and Latin America , for example. On the other hand, Japan , India and the United States are some of the countries in which it is absolutely legal.
Those in favor of the death penalty argue that it promotes the reduction of criminal activity, since it intimidates criminals, as if it were an indirect threat. On the other hand, there are detractors, who maintain, among other things, that it is a measure worse than the crime itself and that it discriminates against those who do not have sufficient resources to defend themselves.
Other uses of the term condemnation
In everyday language, a sentence is a circumstance or forced event : "For five years, the wheelchair has been my sentence ", "This illness is my sentence since it prevents me from working normally" , "The worst sentence for "My son's goal is to prevent him from going out on Saturday nights."
In this context, the term has a very subjective nature, given that the same situation can represent a condemnation for some and generate joy for others. Unlike its use in the field of justice, these generally involve issues that are not imposed by other people, but are generated from unforeseen events (such as accidents or natural disasters) or diseases and disorders. , both physical and mental.
The condemnation can also be the disapproval of a behavior, an action , etc.: "The minister's racist statements deserve the strongest public condemnation," "The player took it upon himself to clarify that he condemns his teammate's statements."
Finally, "The Condemnation" is the title of the first story created by Franz Kafka , one of the most influential writers in history worldwide. The work brings together the features of a short novel and addresses the theme of the Oedipus complex .