On Air: Podcast Just Closer | | Movimento Globale per i Diritti dell’Infanzia

The project of Defence for Children collects testimonies of boys and girls involved in criminal proceedings, to promote true “child-friendly justice.”

Social hardship, discrimination, an uncertain future, the Juvenile Criminal Institute and a system based on (re)education, not punishment. These are just a few of the issues that, through the voices of the children, are addressed in the Just Closer podcast by Defence for Children Italia. This project, co-funded by the European Union, has collected testimonies of boys and girls involved in criminal proceedings and subjected justice procedures in Italy throughout 2023. The project and podcast give a voice to realities that are too often invisible and forgotten and show, in addition to the striking situations in the news, how the justice system, inside and outside penal institutions, must improve to effectively carry out its function.

The podcast, divided into ten episodes, highlights the need for a justice system that should be child-friendly, i.e. “juvenile friendly,” and that considers quality, competence and efficiency: what the Council of Europe proposes as essential for justice that is useful for juveniles and for society as a whole.  

Youth justice is increasingly topical and urgent as a result of the recent Caivano Decree and, more generally, policies pushing for tougher youth sentencing. The youth population held in Juvenile Penal Institutions is increasing, reversing a positive trend since 1988 with Presidential Decree 448 and that made our country a model to be followed throughout Europe.

The series of ten podcasts, produced with the generous participation in the project of actors and voice actors Maurizio Merluzzo and Katia Sorrentino and artist Massimo Sirelli, addresses in “direct take” with the children the elements that make the system “just closer” to them and possible positive solutions for their life stories.

Click here to access the podcast, available only in Italian on Spotify.

Credits

“JUST CLOSER” is a podcast by Defence for Children International Italy. Texts and structure by Gabriella Gallizia with support from Pippo Costella and Francesca Maoli. Audio Production Michele Castagna. Producer Simone Squillace.

Rita Marcotulli’s reinterpretation of the soundtrack from Francois Truffaut’s film “The 400 Blows,” written by Jean Constantin, was kindly granted by the author to set music to the story of Just Closer.

The theme song “Are You Listening?” is by Leonardo Offellini. The lyrics of the rap songs were written by the young people met as part of the Just Closer project in Genoa, Pontremoli and Bari thanks to the support of rapper Principe and were recorded and mixed by Michele Castagna with royalty-free beats.  Narrated voices Gabriella Gallizia and Pippo Costella.

Many thanks to actors and voice actors Maurizio Merluzzo and Katia Sorrentino for lending their voices to the introductory texts of the episodes and to artist Massimo Sirelli for creating and donating the cover illustration of the podcast.

We thank the Fornelli Juvenile Correctional Institute in Bari, the Pontremoli Juvenile Correctional Institute in Pontremoli, and the Social Service Office of the Ministry of Justice in Genoa for their cooperation.

Of course, thanks to the boys and girls who participated with enthusiasm in Just Closer activities, generously sharing their own experiences, thoughts and words. We hope we have well heard and worthily captured their views.

The Just Closer project is funded by the Justice Program of the European Union. The content of these podcasts represents the views only of Defence for Children Italy and the boys and girls met as part of the project. The European Commission assumes no responsibility for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.