Evaluating “Legal Transplant”:‎ Prospects for Reforms in Criminal Law and Its Limitations

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of ‎Tehran, Tehran, Iran‎

2 Depratment of Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of ‎Tehran, Tehran, Iran‎

Abstract

Criminal justice systems frequently demonstrate inefficiencies and a resistance to reform, largely influenced by their deep integration with religious and cultural values, as well as security concerns and a reliance on the principle of territorial jurisdiction. Contrarily, global discourse on criminal law stresses the importance of the rule of law, human rights, and addressing transnational crimes such as money laundering and terrorism, advocating for the modernization and standardization of criminal justice systems. This discourse promotes 'legal transplantation', a concept used metaphorically to describe the rapid and straightforward transfer of legal institutions and norms as a tool for initiating legal reforms across diverse criminal justice systems. This article examines the implementation of legal transplantation in non-Western countries, where differences in legal traditions, ideological conflicts, and diverse state values often provoke governmental resistance and may alter the imported institution's role within the host legal system. Employing a comparative analytical method and extensive library research, this study delves into various narratives of legal transplantation, assessing its practical benefits and underlying motivations. By proposing intertextual metrics, the article evaluates the success or failure of transferring and exchanging legal institutions, aiming to adjudicate the effectiveness of these reforms.

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References

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Comparative Law Review
Volume 15, Issue 1
Espring & Summer
July 2024
Pages 1-22

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