Department of Legal and Economic Studies

The Institute of Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure and Criminology, section of the Department of Juridical, Philosophical and Economic Studies (DIGEF), is one of the three sections active within the department: after Prof. Cesare Imbriani, Prof. Luisa Avitabile is the current Director. The section is now coordinated by Prof. Antonio Fiorella, while the previous coordinator was Prof. Giorgio Spangher.

The transformation in Section of a broader Department, from the original autonomous constitution into the Institute of Criminal Law, afterward named Institute of Law and Criminal Procedure, dates back in 2004, when the Department of Juridical Sciences, unitary in the Faculty, was established and  subsequently dismissed. The Section has inherited the cultural tradition and proclivity for the international exchanges from the previous institute, where, over the years, all the most authoritative scholars in Criminal Law have operated, such as Enrico Ferri, Arturo Rocco, Filippo Grispigni, Giacomo Delitala, Giuliano Vassali, Alfredo de Marsico, Francesco Carnelutti, Giovanni Leone. The mention of these authoritative names also witnesses the composite methodological and ideological tradition of this section, whose cultural horizon ranges from the positivistic setting of a whole-criminal science, where social and juridical phenomenon are engaged to a scientific technicalism that does not deny the social reality, but is headed only towards that arising through the legal norms. The Section continues to be inspired, in the footsteps of tradition, to values of ideological and methodological pluralism, enriching the contents of educational performances and research contributions.
 

The Section, in continuity of the previous publication series of the Institute, dedicated to the matter of Criminal law, Procedure and Criminology, first edited by Giuffré and then by Cedam, is currently in charge of the publication of the works of those researchers variously connected to the department in the series «Publications of the Department of Juridical Sciences University of Rome “La Sapienza”» and edited by Jovene.

The Section is where the curriculum in Law and Criminal Law procedure related to the PhD course in Public Law is situated, under the coordination of Prof. Paul Ridola.
In this Section a specialist library is active, with over fifty volumes.
Dr. Antonello Cincotta, previously head of the Ugov-research sector, is now responsible for the  Computer Science and Research Laboratory.

 Enrico Ferri (1856-1929)
Busto in marmo (premiato all'Esposizione Internazionale di Milano - 1906 -) di Carlo Fontana nell'Istituto di Diritto penale, Procedura penale e Criminologia
 

A special mention is reserved for the School of Criminal Law. Established in a. A. 1931-32 under the direction of Prof. Arturo Rocco.

Frontespizio del volume di Enrico Ferri “Difese penali” dedicato dall’Autore a Filippo Grispigni

Over the years the school will undergo a transformation, also through the change of the denomination: firstly in “School of specialization in Criminal Law and Criminology” and afterwards in Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure. It will end up under the direction of Prof. Fabrizio Ramacci, from the academic year 2002-2003.