The Loss of Youth: Failure of Fascist Juvenile Justice System and Its Legacy in Postwar Italy

The most shocking shocking historical fact that I learnt these years was that Mussolini established the first juvenile court in Italy. In contrast to the progressive purpose of the first US juvenile court in Illinois, Mussolini’s juvenile justice aimed to fulfill the vision of consolidating traditional family structure. The justice system did not function appropriately, and it went into collapse in postwar Italy. This research paper from my class “Crimes in Europe” investigated the failure of juvenile justice system in postwar Italy with neorealist films as primary sources. It also explores how the juvenile justice system in postwar Italy influenced by its Fascist predecessors.

Advisor: Professor Alice Kelikian