[1] It unified penal legislation in Italy, abolished capital punishment and recognised the right to strike.
[2] In his Report to the King (Italian: Relazione al Re), Zanardelli said he was convinced that "laws must be written in such a way that even uneducated men can understand their meaning; and this is especially the case for a penal code, which concerns a great number of citizens even among the popular classes, who must be given a way to know, without the need for interpreters, what the code prohibits."
The Zanardelli Code came into force on 1 January 1890, though it was unanimously approved by both Chambers of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Italy on 30 June 1889.
The code also granted a limited right to strike, and it introduced parole, the principle of punishment as rehabilitation, judicial discretion, and certified mental illness as a reason to be exempt from trial.
In cases concerning more recent crimes, such as selling Psychoactive drugs, the Vatican has referenced other sources in their legal system and has reformed the code many times over the years.