The transition from juvenile delinquency to adult offending: a study on recidivism after probation

Since 1989, when for the first time probation was introduced in the Italian legislation for youth offenders, we have carried out empirical research comparing its application in Southern and Northern juvenile courts. In our most recent research, the first study carried out in Italy on judicial data on recidivism, we investigated the recidivism rate in a sample of juvenile offenders 7 years after probation. Results show that probation as well as restorative justice practices reduce the transition from juvenile delinquency to adult offending. Moreover probation, paradoxically, gives better results when young offenders were perpetrators of serious crimes. This seems to happen both because serious crimes are often the first and only crime committed by young offenders and because of the emphasis of probation process on personal responsibility rather than punishment. The European Union Council request to member States to introduce restorative justice practices, is in Italy actually fulfilled only in the juvenile criminal justice system by means of probation. The success of probation in reducing recidivism among youth offenders encourages an increased application of probation itself also within the adult criminal justice system

Il difensore per i minorenni

L'avvocatura penale minorile è un importantissimo sottosistema che concorre al funzionamento della giustizia minorile. Il volume presenta la prima ricerca condotta in Italia su un campione rappresentativo di avvocati penalisti iscritti agli elenchi dei difensori d'ufficio minorili degli Ordini degli avvocati della Puglia e dell'Emilia Romagna. Le modalità della difesa sono analizzate e discusse in termini comparati e anche alla luce delle recenti riforme introdotte nel processo penale minorile in attuazione dei principi del "giusto processo" previsti dal nuovo art. 111. Cost