Italy’s government launches crackdown on youth violence

ROME

Italy’s government late Thursday approved new rules against juvenile violence, including prison terms for parents of Italian children who drop out of school.

Under the new decree, parents of children who skip school lessons could face sentences of up to two years in jail.

The measure was part of a new package against crimes committed by so-called “baby-gangs.” The package has been approved by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's Cabinet in response to increasing cases involving teenagers in the outskirts of poor Italian cities.

At a press conference following the Cabinet meeting, Meloni said that in the past, the state had preferred to ignore the problem, instead of intervening.

The new decree allows the arrest of minors who carry weapons and gives authorities the power to confiscate mobile phones in some specific cases.

The government is also mulling stricter parental controls on digital devices that would help to limit youths’ access to pornography, considered responsible for growing gender violence among teenagers.

The new rules came amid increasing concerns over juvenile crimes, after two cases of gang-rape targeting minors on the outskirts of Naples and in the Sicilian capital Palermo.

Another case that hit the headlines of Italian media involved a 24-year-old who was killed by a 17-year-old in Naples, apparently for a fight over parking.