The States-General on penal law: educational considerations

Abstract

This contribution offers a few considerations on the idea of holding a States-General legislative and consultative assembly on penal law, promoted – for the first time in Italy – by the Italian Ministry of Justice to reflect on the educational function of punishment, as envisaged in art. 27 of the Constitution. Starting with some comments on the relationship between prison and society, it goes on to consider the working method used to organize the round tables, and concludes with some suggestions on how to promote a new cultural approach to punishment.