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August 7, 2006

Is Fellini Running Italy's Justice Department?

Great news for avant-garde film fans: Federico Fellini, thought to have died in 1993, may actually be alive and well and running Italy's justice department under Prime Minister and coglione Romano Prodi.

Who else but Fellini would think to address Italy's overcrowded prison system by letting the criminals go free? The results of this surreal policy have been as chaotic as any scene in Satyricon or Roma.

Plans call for over 12,000 prisoners to be released over the next few weeks. So far more than 5,000 have been set free, although a few of them are already back behind bars — having committed new crimes within hours of being granted their liberty.

In Udine, a plumber in jail for attacking his wife was rearrested six hours after his premature release for trying to strangle her. In Sardinia, a couple of freed jailbirds got drunk, smashed up a bar, and then attacked police officers who tried to calm them down. Other crimes have been committed by released inmates throughout Italy, including assault, breaking and entering, and armed robbery. Some foreign inmates who were released could be connected to Islamic terrorism.

Antonio Mazzocchi of Alleanza Nazionale has an excellent suggestion, which might also be applied to those who want to close down Club Gitmo:

All those who have reoffended should be sent to the homes of MPs who voted for this appalling measure.

At least now Prodi's liberal government has learned its lesson, and will promptly start building more prisons to alleviate the overcrowding — right?

Wrong. Here's what justice minister Clemente Mastella has to say:

What I would ask those people being released is that they try to behave responsibly. This is simply a noble gesture of clemency and no emergency or threat has been created... The prospect that some would reoffend was always considered and anticipated but it is of no cause for concern.

Italy appears to be headed to hell in a handbasket. If only Fellini really were around to film it.

On a tip from Wiggins.

Posted by Van Helsing at August 7, 2006 6:56 AM