The first objective is to acquire an institutional knowledge of the criminal procedure, through the analysis of its qualifying principles and its main Constitutional and regulatory principles. The latter, in particular, are embodied in the Italian Code of Criminal Procedure (CCP).

A further objective is to explore in depth the procedural steps that involve the psychologist's intervention and contribution and those that provide for the use of skills related to this professional figure.

First of all, the Italian system of sources of criminal law and criminal procedure, the notion and the main characteristics of crime and the nature and application, also provisional, of security measures (in particular the so-called REMS) will be explained (about 12 hours).

The main part of the course (approximately 16 hours) will analyze, in brief, the discipline of the Italian Code of Criminal Procedure which came into force in 1989, in particular:

- the fundamental principles;

- the constitutional coordinates;

- the parties;

- the phases and the rules of the evidentiary proceedings;

- the special proceedings;

- the appellate remedies;

- the final judgement;

- the penitentiary system.

The last part of the course (approximately 8 hours) will be dedicated to the intersections between the criminal trial and the intervention of the expert with specific skills in the field of psychology, analyzing the procedural steps in which these skills are concretely applied. In particular:

- expertise and technical consultancy;

- the modalities of questioning to the minor and the particularly vulnerable subjects, also with the aid of an expert, during preliminary investigations, special evidentiary hearing and trial phase;

- the suspension of proceedings with probation, both in the juvenile and in the ordinary context, characterized by the preparation of the probation project by the External Criminal Execution Office.

None.

A) Knowledge and understanding - The student must show to have a suitable knowledge of the main provisions governing the Italian criminal trial and the ability of understanding of its constitutional and international principles and the venues in which the determination of the crime and criminal responsibility utilizes the specific expertise of the psychologist.

B) Applying knowledge and understanding - The student must show to be able to apply his knowledge by formulating possible interpretative solutions on controversial issues relating to criminal procedural law.

C) Making judgements - The student must show to be able to integrate knowledge of criminal procedure law institutes with those of the constitutional and European right, as well with those of similar disciplines (eg. judicial system, penitentiary right, civil and administrative trial right) and to make critical judgments on the basis of this interdisciplinary platform.

D) Communication skills - The student must show to be an active part in seminars, groupworks and in any planned activities in the living law laboratories, he must also show to be able to explain clearly and effectively the reached conclusions on the argumentative plan, dealing with teachers and with colleagues.

E) Learning skills - The student must show to have developed the learning skills to continue the study of the criminal procedure on his own and that he has the means to understand the main criticalities of the system and possible reforms to amend them. 

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Self-assessment tests; conferences with the participation of outside professors.

Teaching

Lectures, seminar meetings, visit to one or more penal institutions.

Innovative teaching methods

For some topics: flipped classroom, debate.

Attendance

None.

Course books

1) M. Pelissero, Diritto penale. Appunti di parte generale, II ed., Wolters Kluwer-Cedam, 2023, limited to the following pages: 1-13, 16-44, 51-75, 81-89, 94-116, 127-137, 177-185, 189-198.

2) P. Ferrua-B. Lavarini, Diritto processuale penale. Appunti per gli studenti di Psicologia, Giappichelli, 2011 (the whole book).

3) C. Cesari, Sospensione del processo con messa alla prova, in Enciclopedia del diritto, Annals vol. IX, Giuffrè, 2016, p. 1005 ff.

4) N. Pascucci, La testimonianza della persona offesa minorenne. Dalle sollecitazioni sopranazionali alle risposte dell'ordinamento italiano, Giappichelli, 2020, p. 76-92, 117-140 (up to the third line), 153-160, 168-186 (up to the third line), 213-246, 249-261.

Assessment

Oral examination.

This method is considered more suitable for verifying not only student’s proficiency of legal institutions and “paranormative” regulations, but also student’s communicative ability, critical attitude and reasoning and linguistic skills.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Use the didactic material available on the Moodle platform: blended.uniurb.it.

Attendance

Attendance is not mandatory.

Course books

1) M. Pelissero, Diritto penale. Appunti di parte generale, II ed., Wolters Kluwer-Cedam, 2023, limited to the following pages: 1-13, 16-44, 51-75, 81-89, 94-116, 127-137, 177-185, 189-198.

2) P. Ferrua-B. Lavarini, Diritto processuale penale. Appunti per gli studenti di Psicologia, Giappichelli, 2011 (the whole book).

3) C. Cesari, Sospensione del processo con messa alla prova, in Enciclopedia del diritto, Annals vol. IX, Giuffrè, 2016, p. 1005 ff.

4) N. Pascucci, La testimonianza della persona offesa minorenne. Dalle sollecitazioni sopranazionali alle risposte dell'ordinamento italiano, Giappichelli, 2020, p. 76-92, 117-140 (up to the third line), 153-160, 168-186 (up to the third line), 213-246, 249-261.

Assessment

Oral examination.

This method is considered more suitable for verifying not only student’s proficiency of legal institutions and “paranormative” regulations, but also student’s communicative ability, critical attitude and reasoning and linguistic skills.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Attendance is fixed at two-thirds of the lectures.