Disposizioni normative a tutela dei minori nell’ordinamento canonico

The contribution traces the evolution of canonical legislation on the protection of abused minors that has developed following the scandals that have emerged in the Catholic Church over the past decades. The contribution dwells in particular on the current provisions on compensatory protection of victims, strongly desired by the current pontiff. Further elaboration concerns the presumption of innocence to protect persons under investigation for such crimes. The author's conviction is that the criminal trial remains, in the last resort, the only valid instrument to ascertain possible liability and, at the same time, to adequately protect victims and defendants, without forgetting the importance for the Church of the search for truth.