A possible factor in Amanda Knox's ongoing incarceration
For those folks - such as myself - who are a little confused as to why former University of Washington student Amanda Knox can be held without charges in an Italian jail cell in connection with her roommate's murder, this tidbit of information may make the "hold for a year without charging" policy a little more clear: it seems the Italian court system has a serious problem with backlogged cases.
According to "Crime and Criminal Policy in Italy: Tradition and Modernity in a Troubled Country", a piece published by two Italian grad students the European Journal of Criminology last year (subscription required), the Italian court systems had over 3 million "pending" criminal cases as recently as 2005.
This could help explain why no charges have been brought against Knox, her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and reported drug dealer Rudy Guede. Plus it raises some other questions: if the court system is that bogged down, how effective is the investigation into Meredith Kercher's murder? What if, after a year, they simply release Knox? The idea was unfathomable six months ago; now, it could very well be the case (after all, more than a few people were waiting with bated breath for the court's decision earlier today on Knox's immediate fate). If that happens, I'm guessing we can expect this matter of backlogging is sure to gain some much deserved attention.
