(1) Punish crimes. All criminal acts that violate the provisions of the criminal law should be investigated in accordance with the provisions of the criminal law, and criminals should be sentenced to certain penalties so that they can be punished by law. By punishing criminals, on the one hand, we can reform criminals, on the other hand, we can also play a warning and education role in society, and achieve the purpose of maintaining social justice, reducing crime and preventing crime.
(2) safeguarding national security and consolidating state power. National security and political stability are the basic premise and guarantee of China's reform, opening up and socialist modernization. As a criminal law to combat crimes, its primary task should be to target those criminal acts that endanger national sovereignty and security, seriously endanger national security and undermine the socialist system. This is the concentrated expression of the class nature of criminal law. In the specific provisions of China's criminal law, the first chapter stipulates the crime of endangering national security. This chapter summarizes the experience of cracking down on such crimes since the founding of the People's Republic of China, and makes clear provisions on various criminal acts endangering national security and their punishments.
(3) Protecting the property of the state, collectives and citizens. State-owned property and property collectively owned by working people are socialist public property, the material foundation of socialism and the material guarantee of modernization. Citizens' personal property is a necessary material condition for citizens to live and engage in production and other activities. According to the constitution, the criminal law regards the protection of public property and property owned by individual citizens as one of the tasks of the criminal law, which is of great significance for safeguarding the economic foundation of the country and protecting the legitimate property of individuals.
(four) to protect citizens' personal rights, democratic rights and other rights. In our country, the people are the masters of the country. The Constitution of China stipulates the basic rights of citizens, including the right to life, health and personal freedom, the democratic right of citizens to participate in state management and political life according to law, and the related rights to work, study and creation. In order to crack down on all kinds of crimes that violate citizens' personal rights, democratic rights and other rights, the criminal law has made more specific provisions on such crimes and their penalties, which has played an important role in safeguarding citizens' legitimate rights and interests.
(5) maintaining social order. Social order covers a wide range, including the normal order in politics, economy, production, work, study and scientific research. All kinds of crimes stipulated in the criminal law, although the objects and behavior forms of crimes are different, are ultimately the destruction of social order. The direct purpose of some crimes is to disturb a certain social order. The ultimate goal of using criminal law to combat and punish crimes is to maintain social order, maintain social stability and realize the purpose of criminal law.