The article 41-bis of the Italian criminal jurisdiction. Indispensable instrument or basis for torture?

The Italian criminal jurisdiction presents a characteristic that differentiates it among the other democratic jurisdictions, represented by the article 41-bis. Introduced in 1986 by the law no. 663 of 10 October, it has immediately triggered a lively debate concerning the principle of respect for human rights and dignity inside the penitentiary. The aim of this paper is to analyze the reasons advanced by different groups on this topic, reflecting about the real function of the so called “hard prison regime”