born March 15, 1738, Milan
died Nov. 28, 1794, Milan
Italian criminologist and economist.
He became an international celebrity in 1764 with the publication of Crime and Punishment , the first systematic statement of principles governing criminal punishment, in which he argued that the effectiveness of criminal justice depended more on the certainty of punishment than on its severity. The book greatly influenced criminal-law reform in western Europe. In later years, Beccaria lectured at Milan's Palatine School and served as a public official, dealing with such issues as monetary reform, labour relations, and public education.