Ricerc@Sapienza

This article aims to verify whether, and to what extent, the practice of the last twenty years reflects the theoretical premises usually associated to international criminal justice, as a set of institutions and norms not only intended to prosecute international crimes, but also to enforce international rules prohibiting the use of force and, as a result, maintain or restore international peace and secu- rity. To this end, a series of elements need to be taken into account.

This article explores the assumption according to which international criminal justice is meant to ensure international peace and security by analysing the sentencing practice of the ad hoc tribunals, the Special Court for the Sierra Leone and the International Criminal Court. Despite common references to the contribution that international criminal justice may give to the restoration of peace and reconciliation, sentencing practice shows that those broad goals have no legal impact on the determination of international sentences.