Program Overview

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CRIMINAL LAW

Program Details

The CRIMINAL LAW program is offered by the University of Genoa, with the code 64915, during the academic year 2025/2026. The program consists of 9 CFU in the second year of the GIURISPRUDENZA course (LMG/01) in Genoa.

Scientific Disciplinary Sector

The program falls under the scientific disciplinary sector IUS/17 and is taught in Italian.

Teaching Location and Semester

The program is taught in Genoa during the second semester.

Sectioning

The program is divided into two sections: A and B.

Prerequisites

To take the exam for this program, students must have passed the following exams:

• LAW 7995 (cohort 2024/2025)
• Institutions of Private Law I
• Constitutional Law 64900 C
• Constitutional Law 64900 A
• Constitutional Law 64900 B

Propedeuticity

This program is a prerequisite for the following programs:

• LAW 7995 (cohort 2024/2025)
• CRIMINAL LAW II 64947
• DIRITTO PROCESSUALE PENALE DELL'ECONOMIA
• COMPARATIVE CRIMINAL LAW 55600
• CRIMINAL LAW COMMERCIAL 80264
• PENITENTIARY LAW 45303

Teaching Materials

Teaching materials for the program can be found on Aulaweb.

Overview

The program provides an analysis of constitutional principles of criminal law, the structure of crimes, and the sentence system.

Aims and Content

Learning Outcomes

The program aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the general principles of criminal law, including constitutional principles, the structure of criminal offenses, and the sanctioning system.

Aims and Learning Outcomes

The program covers the following topics:

• The legitimation and functions of criminal law
• The purposes of punishment and the sanctioning system
• The sources and limits on the applicability of criminal law
• The concept and systematization of crime
• The criminal act
• Wrongfulness and justifications
• Culpability
• Punishability
• Attempt
• Participation in crime
• Concurrence of crimes and apparent concurrence of norms
• Aggravated crime
• Corporate criminal liability

Teaching Methods

The program includes individual study, attendance, and participation in educational activities.

Syllabus/Content

The program covers the following topics:

• Foundation and functions of criminal sanctions
• The historical, cultural, and institutional premises of current criminal law
• Criminal law and the Constitution
• The principle of legality concerning sources, content, time, and interpretation of criminal norms
• The principles of materiality, specificity, offensiveness, and subsidiarity
• The personal nature of criminal responsibility
• Spatial and personal limitations on the applicability of criminal law
• Structure of the crime: formal definition of crime and distinction between felonies and misdemeanors
• General theory of crime: legal categories and the politico-criminal function of specificity, wrongfulness, culpability, and punishability
• Perpetrator and corporate liability
• Typical act: conduct, event, causality, offensiveness
• Wrongfulness: foundation, structure, and regulation of individual justifications
• Culpability: imputability, intent, and negligence, knowledge of criminal law, excuses
• Strict liability
• Manifestations of crime: aggravated crime, attempt, participation in crime, apparent concurrence of norms, and concurrence of crimes
• The sanctioning system: principal and accessory penalties, sentencing, alternative sanctions to imprisonment, alternative measures to detention, causes for the extinction of crime and penalty

Recommended Reading/Bibliography

• C.F. GROSSO, M. PELISSERO, D. PETRINI, P. PISA, Manuale di diritto penale. Parte generale, Milano, Giuffrè, 2013
• Notes of lectures and materials published on Aulaweb
• A criminal code

Teachers and Exam Board

The program is taught by Annamaria Peccioli, who is also the president of the exam board.

Lessons

The program starts in the second semester of 2026. The calendar can be viewed on the university's website.

Class Schedule

The class schedule can be found on the university's website.

Exams

Exam Description

The examination is conducted orally, with three questions on different topics.

Assessment Methods

Students will be assessed on their ability to discuss criminal law issues, including principles, structure of crime, and sentence system.

Exam Schedule

The exam schedule is as follows:

• 11/12/2025, 08:00, Genoa
• 14/01/2026, 08:00, Genoa
• 04/02/2026, 08:00, Genoa
• 20/05/2026, 08:00, Genoa
• 03/06/2026, 08:00, Genoa
• 25/06/2026, 08:00, Genoa
• 15/07/2026, 08:00, Genoa
• 09/09/2026, 08:00, Genoa

Further Information

For further information, please contact the professor.