A review of the psychosocial and criminological factors underlying COVID-19 conspiracy theories

Conspiracy theories and misinformation are becoming increasingly pervasive in recent years and have been spreading at an astounding rate during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a range of problems, including non-adherence to safety protocols, refusal to be vaccinated and disregard for public safety. The uncontrollable spread of dubious information has been dubbed an infode-mic and is facilitated by social media and the internet. The belief in, and diffusion of conspiracy theories is linked to various factors familiar to the psychological and criminological fields. Key among these factors is a trait known as conspiratorial thinking. In order to combat this pheno-menon, it is essential that we understand how and why conspiracy theories spread and what makes people prone to believing in them. This literature review aims to highlight the principal research into the identifying characteristics of conspiracy theories, as well as the psycho-social and criminological factors that sustain them. It also explores the effects that conspiracy belief can have on people and groups. It then delves into the role of social media in the diffusion of conspiracy theories during the pandemic. Finally, it illustrates the main strategies that have been used to counter misinformation and conspiracy theories and suggests some areas where further research is required. © 2022 Author(s).

Ensuring the implementation of healthcare policies able to eliminate hepatitis C at both central and regional levels during the COVID-19 pandemic

Viral hepatitis C is an important public health problem and its elimination by 2030, defined by the World Health Organization, is an ambitious goal. The chance of free screening for HCV infection represents an important achievement that requires a successful State-Regions coordination and an effective regional organisation, that guarantees an interdisciplinary course between local and specialized healthcare. A structured communication program to increase the sensitivity of target populations as well as health professionals is the key for success. The implementation of the proactive screening, defined by the Milleproroghe Law, is crucial because it will define the tracks for the whole HCV costeffective screening strategies (1948-1988 birth cohorts) required to achieve the HCV elimination targets in Italy by 2030.

Double penalty and double right? Prison at the time of the covid-19

The spreading of the new coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) in Italy caused inevitable consequences also on our penitentiary system and on all the people that live and work there. Thoughts, experiences and strategies for coping with the emergency are reported through three testimonies of three Directors of Italian Penitentiary Institutes. In some cases, the crisis was managed using creativity, imagination and motivation. This attitude lead to valid treatments profiles and to functional communication systems between the prison and the outside world. The mediation of conflicts and the inevitable tensions caused by the pandemic emergency were well handled and the results are visible and concrete. © Pensa MultiMedia Editore – Rassegna Italiana di Criminologia.

Pandemic and right to university study in prison

The article n°34 of the Italian Constitution establishes that the school is open to all, without any reference to the personal conditions of the student that can be deprived of his freedom. This right to education is inviolable. The education is an es-sential element to reach the re-educational function of the sentence. The article n°17 of the Norms for the Penitentiary System establishes the important role of the in the external community and of private and public subjects to help in re-educating and re-socializing prisoners. In normal conditions there are often contradictions between the principle and the reality of prison condition so in a condition of crisis such as the covid-19 pandemic there is a high risk to break important achievements in this part. Our article starts from thoughts on the right to study in prison and on the history of Criminology’s attention to the treatment of the offender and from studies on the sector of sentence execution. Then our article presents the results of surveys carried out by the National Conference of Delegates of Rectors for the Prison University Centers at the prison facilities where they are established, during the Coronavirus Pandemic. © Pensa MultiMedia Editore – Rassegna Italiana di Criminologia.

Pandemic in prison

The coronavirus emergency led to a particularly serious situation, increasing the precarious conditions in which the external company found itself. The responses of the penitentiary world have produced heterogeneous consequences, in some cases resulting in violent acts, in others based on internal mediation strategies that allowed collaboration between prisoners and staff. The implementation of new measures such as calls on a daily basis and video calls, certainly contributed to alleviating internal tensions and marked an innovative turning point for the national penitentiary system. The main problem, however, remains as always the overcrowding: in Italy but also in Europe has understandably increased the management problems of the pandemic. © Pensa MultiMedia Editore – Rassegna Italiana di Criminologia-.