Enrico Ferri (politician)

Enrico Ferri (25 February 1856 – 20 April 1929) was an Italian criminologist, sociologist, and socialist politician. A leading exponent of criminal sociology and a key figure in the positivist school of criminology, Ferri argued that crime was primarily a social phenomenon influenced by factors such as poverty, inequality, and lack of education, rather than solely an individual's free will. He advocated for preventative measures and social reforms to address the root causes of crime.

Ferri was a professor of criminal law and procedure at several Italian universities, including Bologna, Pisa, and Rome. He wrote extensively on criminology, criminal justice, and socialism. His most important work, Sociologia criminale (Criminal Sociology), published in 1884, outlined his positivist theories and advocated for a scientific approach to understanding and preventing crime.

Politically, Ferri was a prominent figure in the Italian Socialist Party (PSI). He served as a member of the Italian Parliament for several terms, representing Mantua. Initially a leader of the maximalist wing of the PSI, advocating for revolutionary change, he later adopted a more reformist stance. After World War I, he became increasingly sympathetic to Benito Mussolini's fascist regime, eventually joining the Fascist Party. This later association remains a controversial aspect of his legacy. His contributions to criminology, particularly his emphasis on social factors in crime causation, continue to be studied and debated.