This article is about a philosophical category of „criminal punishment” and its historical evolution. Criminal punishment represents one of the basic and disputable problems within the framework of development of human activity. Some scientific methods are applied during the explanation and examination of this problem. At the same time, an attempt has been made to solve some legal problems. There have been suggested several points of view and useful conclusions which are necessary to be taken into consideration. For all times criminal punishment was considered to be a compulsory measure applied by state authorities in order to deter and to constraint the offender. During different periods of time punishment was regarded as a type of revenge or like a form of deterrence applied towards the person who has committed a crime. Criminal punishment is considered to be necessary and will continue to exist until other institutions appear to ensure the protection of our society from evil deeds.