本论文以功利主义视角下的刑罚理论为主题，探讨刑罚目的从威慑到改造的历史转变及其理论依据和现实意义。首先分析了功利主义的哲学基础及其在刑罚领域的应用，重点考察了杰里米·边沁提出的“最大幸福原则”如何为刑罚的正当性提供理论支持。其次，论文从威慑与改造两个核心维度出发，阐释了功利主义刑罚理论对犯罪预防与犯罪者矫正的不同侧重，剖析了其在实践中的优点与局限性。通过理论分析与实践案例研究，论文指出功利主义刑罚观在现代刑罚改革中具有重要的指导意义，尤其是在推动替代性刑罚、社区矫正等领域发挥了积极作用。然而，功利主义对整体福祉的追求也可能引发对个体权利保护不足的伦理争议。论文最后结合我国刑罚制度改革，提出加强威慑与改造平衡的具体建议，以期为刑罚的正义性与实效性提供启示。

This paper takes the theory of punishment from the perspective of utilitarianism as the theme, and discusses the historical transformation of the purpose of punishment from deterrence to reform, as well as its theoretical basis and practical significance. Firstly, the philosophical basis of utilitarianism and its application in the field of punishment are analyzed, and how the "principle of maximum happiness" proposed by Jeremy Bentham provides theoretical support for the justification of punishment. Secondly, from the two core dimensions of deterrence and reform, this paper explains the different emphases of utilitarian penal theory on crime prevention and offender correction, and analyzes its advantages and limitations in practice. Through theoretical analysis and practical case studies, this paper points out that the utilitarian view of punishment has important guiding significance in modern penal reform, especially in the fields of promoting alternative punishment and community correction. However, utilitarian pursuit of holistic well-being may also give rise to ethical controversies over the inadequate protection of individual rights. Finally, this paper puts forward specific suggestions for strengthening the balance between deterrence and reform based on the reform of China's penal system, in order to provide enlightenment for the justice and effectiveness of criminal punishment.