- MARIANA RUEDA He was an Italian writer, philosopher, jurist and economist Inspired modern criminal law by introducing rationality in the definition of crimes Benjamin Wright, (born October 10, 1770, Wethersfield, Connecticut [USA]; died August 24, 1842, New York, NY), American engineer who directed the construction of the Erie Canal. Because he trained so many engineers on that project, Wright has been called the "father of American engineering." Beccaria is one of the champions who, from philosophy and criminal law, dismantle the inquisitorial system of prosecuting. For a system that incorporates greater guarantees for processing. Wright resigned from the Erie Canal project in 1827 and served as Chief Engineer of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal from 1828 to 1831 and of the St. Lawrence Canal in 1833.