The Catholic Church's teaching on the death penalty has developed over time. While traditionally the Church acknowledged the right of the state to impose capital punishment in cases where it was the only way to protect society, Pope Francis in 2018 revised the Catechism (CCC 2267) to state that 'the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,' and the Church 'works with determination for its abolition worldwide.' This development reflects the Church's deepened understanding of human dignity, as well as the recognition that modern penal systems are capable of effectively protecting public safety without recourse to execution. Pope John Paul II had already laid the groundwork, teaching in Evangelium Vitae (1995) that the cases in which execution is justified are 'very rare, if not practically nonexistent.' The Church emphasizes restorative justice and the possibility of conversion and redemption for every person.