of the pentiti over to their relatives. For example, several of Tommaso Buscetta's close family members were killed in a long series of murders. Since the pentito himself is physically protected by the police, retribution on his family is common; therefore, when there are rumors of a mafioso collaborating with the police, the family usually condemns that person immediately to avoid retaliation. For example, when Vincenzo Sinagra began collaborating with the authorities his entire family disowned him. Commentary on the term It is often pointed out that the correct term should be collaboratori di giustizia, or "collaborators with justice". The word pentito implies a moral judgment that is considered inappropriate for the courts of justice to make. Criticism In Italy, pentiti have come under criticism because of the favours they receive and because: they would invent stories to receive benefits; they would invent stories to persecute people they do not like; their employment is seen as a reward for criminals, instead of a punishment; They would be unreliable since they come from a criminal organization. Criticism comes most often from politicians, especially when they or an associate of theirs is under investigation for connections to the Mafia. It is therefore interpreted by some as an attempt to discredit one's own accusers, instead of a genuine preoccupation of the common citizen's civil rights. Luciano Violante, a politician and former president of the Italian Antimafia Commission, countered that "We do not find information about the Mafia among nuns." Laws have been passed that bar pentiti from obtaining substantial benefits unless their revelations are later deemed new material, and lead to concrete results. There have been proposals to accept revelations only for six months, after which their revelations could not be used in court. This has had the effect of reducing the appeal of becoming a pentito since a single mafia associate does not know whether his knowledge will be useful to the prosecutors at the time of defection. Defection from the mafia in Italy have subsequently sharply reduced from the height reached in the early nineties, and results in the fight against mafia have reduced accordingly. See also :Category:Pentiti Informant Turn state's evidence References Bibliography Stille, Alexander (1995). Excellent Cadavers. The Mafia and the Death of the First Italian Republic, New York: Vintage Pentito Organized crime members by role Defectors by type