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Law - new material (58)

01 May 2006

"Carc, un caso di accanimento giudiziario", A. Mantovani, Il Manifesto, 30.7.06, p.7. This article assesses proceedings involving a Marxist-Leninist group (CARC), twelve of whose members are under investigation and may face charges of "association with the purpose of terrorism and subversion". Inquiries have ended and the case is now to be put before a judge to decide if they will face trial. The author notes that the accusations do not refer to the carrying out, planning or raising the hypothesis of committing, acts of terrorism, but rather, of harbouring certain "purposes" and of possible cooperation with the new Red Brigades or Sardinian independentist groups that have used explosive devices. The year that Giuseppe Maj, referred to as the group's leader, has just served in France at the behest of the Italian authorities, is described as "unjustifiable", and Mantovani suggests that the best possible outcome would be for the case to be stopped due to the lack of "suitability" and "concreteness" to justify the charges.

Gypsy and Traveller law update, Chris Johnson, Dr Angus Murdoch & Marc Willers. Legal Action July 2006, pp. 20-22. This is the first of three articles on developments in this area of law; it concentrates on the new planning regime and government guidance on the provision of sites for Gypsies and Travellers published in February.

Time to stop justifying assault on our children, Kathleen Marshall. Scolag Journal, May 2006. The Commissioner for children and young people in Scotland addresses the issue of physically disciplining children. She covers the current legal basis for hitting children and its compatibility with international law and other EU member states. She also considers public opinion towards the issue and analyses the significance of recent opinion polls. Finally she considers the implications of giving children the same legal protection from assault as adults and argues that fear of prosecution appears to be the most important factor in resistance to legal change.