imputazioni

Imputazioni, in criminal law, is the formal attribution by the public prosecutor that a specific person is responsible for a crime. It marks the transition from the investigative phase to formal charges and outlines the acts attributed, the time, place, and the criminal provision invoked. The imputazione is typically set out in an act of charging and is addressed to the person named as imputato.

When a person is informed of an imputazione, they acquire the status of imputato and gain procedural rights. These include being informed of the charges, the right to defense, the right to be assisted by a lawyer, the right to review the evidentiary file, and the opportunity to present defenses and evidence. Imputazioni can concern one or more offenses and may involve multiple defendants.

Importantly, an imputazione is an allegation of possible criminal liability, not a determination of guilt. It enables the subsequent trial or other proceedings, but it does not in itself establish culpability. If evidence is insufficient, the case may be dismissed; if evidence is sufficient, the proceedings may continue toward a verdict. Charges can be amended or supplemented as investigations develop, within the safeguards of due process.

The concept is closely linked to the distinction between investigation and trial and to the principle that a suspect or accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty. In practice, imputazioni serve to articulate the specific criminal hypotheses against a person, guiding both defense strategy and the progression of the case.