In 2007 Italy counted 593 homicides. We are very concerned about them, but it is normal, in our 60 millions persons country, to have 500 - 600 homicides per year.

In Los Angeles, au contraire, they are very happy because they have only 400 homicides and they are pleased for it even if they have 1/20 of the Italian population. In Baltimore (600.000 people) they count 300 homicide per year and in New Orleans (300.000) 200 per year. The same in Houston, the capital of the American capital punishment where, with 1/30 of the Italian population, they have 3-400 homicides per year. 

In America they are happy because now they have only 16.000 – 17.000 homicides per year, but if they were Italians they could count 3.000 homicides per year.

I am sure this happens for the reason that Italy is (from 1877) a death penalty free country: because, according to Justice Brandeis, the legal homicide by the state is a bad teaching.:

“ Our Government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher.
For good or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example.”
Justice Brandeis dissenting, Olmstead v United States, 1928

Dott. Claudio Giusti

Via Don Minzoni 40, 47100 Forlì, Italia
Tel.  39/0543/401562   39/340/4872522
e-mail  giusticlaudio@aliceposta.it 

Claudio Giusti had the privilege and the honour to participate in the first congress of the Italian Section of Amnesty International: later he was one of the founders of the World Coalition Against The Death Penalty. He is a member of the Scientific Committee of Osservatorio sulla Legalità e i Diritti. 

Giovedì 08 Settembre,2011 Ore: 21:58