La criminalidad durante el dominio del Radicalismo en el Estado Soberano de Santander (1863-1878)

Abstract

This article is an analysis of the criminality as a concrete social phenomenon in the State of Santander, during the government of radical liberalism. The main sources are primary: the "Gaceta de Santander", legislation, official documents and criminal files. Santander as a "laboratory" of the radical liberalism was characterized by the deep changes in the criminal system, a not very wide catalog of actions that were considered crimes, the quickly trial and soft penalties. The criminality of this period was no high nevertheless the hard socio-economic and political conditions. The crimes more committed in these years were wounds, murder and against property. The districts with the highest criminal rate were Piedecuesta, Malaga, Concepcion and Socorro and with the most law San Gil and Velez. Must of the criminals were poor, young and illiterate. In this period were designed the must important lines of a criminal policy based in preventive measures as popular instruction and repressive as criminal laws, justice system, police and jails. 

Keywords: Criminality, crime, criminal law, judicial statistic, criminal policy.