Feb 17 • 17:24 UTC 🇮🇹 Italy Il Giornale

Thirty-seven blows are not enough to keep her in prison: pickpocket released again

Despite having a long criminal record of 37 prior offenses, pickpocket Rasema Derdzic has been released again, primarily to care for her young child.

Rasema Derdzic, a 36-year-old Romani woman, has become a familiar name for law enforcement due to her repeated offenses as a pickpocket, most recently recorded as her thirty-seventh incident in Rome near the Trevi Fountain, a popular tourist spot. Despite being caught in the act, Derdzic was granted release shortly after her arrest on February 12, due to the need to care for her small child, emphasizing ongoing challenges within the legal system regarding repeat offenders.

This situation brings to light the complexities surrounding the consequences of repeated criminal behavior, particularly in relation to familial responsibilities. Derdzic's frequent releases, often facilitated by her appeal to motherhood or technicalities in the law, raise questions about the efficacy of deterrents in the justice system for habitual offenders. Her case parallels that of Ana Zahirovic, another notorious pickpocket who has managed to avoid prolonged incarceration despite her extensive criminal history.

The implications of this phenomenon extend beyond individual cases, suggesting a broader societal issue where habitual criminals evade significant punishment. It raises concerns about public safety, particularly in tourist-heavy areas like Rome, as well as the effectiveness of judicial responses to crime, pushing for a re-evaluation of laws regarding repeat offenders and the role of socioeconomic factors influencing criminal behavior.

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