Dome of St. Peter's Basilica against dark sky © Cristian Gennari (CBA)
Criminal energy also exists in the Vatican: for the past year, the authorities recorded almost 200 charges. But only six people were arrested.
In 2018, 75 people have been detained and six people have been arrested at the Vatican. That's according to the report presented over the weekend by Vatican prosecutor Gian Piero Milano at the opening of the 2019 judicial year for Vatican City State.
86 charges were filed for theft. In addition, there were 97 charges of damage and 15 charges of attempted fraud. 161 traffic tickets were ied for violating traffic rules, the prosecutor reported. Total 11.845 checks were carried out last year.
Harsher penalties thanks to Francis
In addition, the judiciary took action against irregularities in the economic and financial spheres. The Vatican gendarmerie's duties also include controlling the import and export of cash at national borders. These measures had been introduced to bring the Vatican in line with international norms in the prevention of money laundering and covert terrorist financing.
Milano reported that since the beginning of Pope Francis' pontificate, penalties for offenses against minors, as well as war and human rights crimes, have been increased. In the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking, the Vatican has also made the laws stricter. Harsher penalties introduced in cases of sexual violence, child abuse, trafficking in pedo-pornographic material and exploitation of prostitution of minors, prosecutor reported.
The smallest prison in the world
The Vatican also has a prison. With two cells it is the smallest detention center in the world. It is located in the barracks of the Vatican gendarmerie not far from St. Peter's Square. Only citizens of the Vatican can be detained there.
Most recently, Monsignor Lucio Vallejo Balda was in pre-trial detention there. He was accused of theft and publication of confidential documents.