Legal Culture and Legislation against Thieves before the Penal Code of 1837. A Historical Approach to Early Republican Criminal Law In Colombia (1820-1836) ; Cultura jurídica y legislación contra ladrones antes del Código Penal de 1837. Una aproximación histórica al derecho penal republicano temprano en Colombia (1820-1836)

This article approaches the transitional criminal law between the Castilian-Indian legal order of the viceroyalty of New Granada and the repub­lican legal order, focusing on the legislation against thieves prior to the Penal Code of 1837. This legislation intended to solve the problem of thefts that had increased after Independence. Initially, during the Republic of Colombia, harsh punishment prevailed, while in the Republic of New Granada the legislation was more moderate. It is shown that the form and structure of these laws was still influenced by the legal culture of the viceroyalty, despite the changes in the penal discourse of the 1821 and 1832 constitutions, of an enlightened-liberal nature. At the same time that said legislation sought to solve a specific problem, debates continued on the Penal Code which, in 1837, would give rise to the na­tional codified law. This early penal policy also sought to improve punishment establishments, although without success. Thus, the fledgling state was still far from establishing a true penal system. For the research, various sources were used seeking to understand the legislation within its political and ideological context. ; El presente artículo se aproxima al Derecho penal de transición entre el orden jurídico castellano-indiano del virreinato de la Nueva Granada y orden jurídico republicano, enfocándose en la legislación contra ladrones anterior al Código Penal de 1837. Esta legislación pretendía resolver el problema de los hurtos que había aumentado después de la Independencia. Inicialmente, durante la República de Colombia, predominó la dureza en los castigos, mientras que ya en la República de la Nueva Granada la legislación fue más moderada. Se muestra que la forma y estructura de estas leyes aún estaba influida por la cultura jurídica del virreinato, a pesar de los cambios en el discurso penal de las constituciones de 1821 y 1832, de índole ilustrado-liberal. Al mismo tiempo que dicha legis­lación pretendía resolver un problema concreto, continuaron los ...