As you read this story, you may come across familiar figures like judges, magistrates and prosecutors, but the English and Italian terms do not necessarily correspond.
Whilst a long discussion of the differences between our legal systems would be off-putting and unnecessary, a little background information might be helpful. In Italy, giudici (judges) and procuratori (public prosecutors) are colleagues: both roles come under the independent institution known as the magistratura, and in fact prosecutors are often referred to as judges in everyday usage.
Under the Napoleonic Code, which formed the basis for the Italian system, judges performed an investigative role as well as presiding over trials and handing down sentences.
Another feature of the Italian system touched upon in the stories is the co-existence of two separate national police forces: the carabinieri are a military police force, whereas the polizia di stato (state police) are now a civilian force. Both have a long history, and have developed sometimes overlapping responsibilities, which can lead to rivalry and confusion.
ALAN THAWLEY