Research
Observatory on criminal and security legislation
The Observatory is developing a continuously updated database to track the numbers, types, content, and overall scope of punitive legislative acts passed by the Italian legislature. Additionally, it aims to publish an annual report on the evolution of criminal and security legislation in Italy.
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The Use of Force and Its Limits in the Penitentiary Context
The research, funded through PSR grants by the University of Milan, aims to explore the challenges surrounding the use of force in the prison system by gathering the experiences and perspectives of prison staff.
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The Determinants of Urban Security Policies
The project aims to identify the reasons behind the rise of increasingly punitive security policies over the past thirty years. Specifically, it empirically examines bottom-up models (policies as a response to citizen demands) and top-down models (policies as a tool used by elites to shape public opinion) to determine which is more explanatory of the Italian context.
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Police and Youth with Migrant Backgrounds in the San Siro District of Milan
The study investigates the relationship between young people with a migrant background and the police through a mixed-method research approach in the San Siro district of Milan.
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The Impact of the Security Decree on the Delicate Balance between Freedom and Authority
Room 311 – University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 3, Milan
REFORM TRUST: Ideas on Penal Environments
Dropcity (Tunnel 40), Via Giovanni Battista Sammartini 60, MilanShould police officers who use force against peaceful protesters be punished? A national experiment
The article “Should police officers who use force against peaceful protesters be punished? A national experiment” by Thompson, Metcalfe, and Pickett highlights how opinions on punishing police officers for using force against peaceful protesters are primarily influenced by political and racial attitudes.
Security Decree and the Prison System
In the article “Security Decree and the Prison System”, published in Sistema Penale, Francesco Palazzo analyzes the new security decree (Decree-Law of April 11, 2025, No. 48), with particular attention to its impact on the prison system.
The 34th General Report of the CPT
The 34th General Report of the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) offers a thorough analysis of detention conditions in Europe in 2024.
Gangs from the Global South: Between youth groups and organized crime
The article Gangs from the Global South: Between youth groups and organized crime, published in Revista Mexicana de Sociología, issue 87, volume 1, in 2025, presents a comparative qualitative study of Mexican gangs (pandillas) in Mexico City and South African gangs in Cape Town.
Comments&Opinions
A Reassessment of the De Maria Case Through the Lens of Fiduciary Principles
Starting from the case of Emanuele De Maria, which has been the subject of much public debate in recent days, the text invites reflection on the fact that, while encouraging data on successful releases cannot "heal" the pain of victims and their families, they nonetheless clearly highlight that any reform of the penitentiary system must be grounded in a framework of trust.
Preventing Mass Atrocities: Reflections in Light of the International Day of the Rwandan Genocide
On the occasion of the International Day of Reflection on the Rwandan Genocide, the text reflects on the limitations of international law and measures to prevent similar atrocities.
The limits of criminal law in addressing femicide
Building on the recent bill proposing the introduction of femicide as a criminal offense in the Italian Penal Code, we explore the implications of punitive feminism, inviting reflection on the need to adopt transformative perspectives to prevent and combat gender-based violence.
Juvenile Delinquency: Data, Challenges, and Intervention Strategies. Prof. Roberto Cornelli on TGR Buongiorno Regione
Today, Roberto Cornelli, Full Professor of Criminology at the University of Milan and director of CRIMePO, was invited to discuss juvenile delinquency on TGR Buongiorno Regione, Lombardy edition.
