August 15th in Italian prisons is a day of significance for organizations and movements that focus on the living conditions of those deprived of freedom, as well as the work conditions of the prison police. This year, the day holds even greater weight due to the alarming statistics of 71 suicides since the beginning of the year, with 64 being detainees and 7 being prison officers. With four months left in 2024, there is concern over surpassing the record number of suicides in 2022, which was 85. There is a call at the national level for the restoration of livable conditions in the prison system, which has been struggling with overcrowding and understaffing for years.
The Minister of Justice, Carlo Nordio, visited the prison on the island of Giudecca in Venice. He emphasized the need to reduce the prison population and highlighted the symbolic importance of places like Giudecca in the path to rehabilitation and social redemption for those deprived of liberty. The Minister also discussed the new decree on prisons, stating that with the appointment of an extraordinary commissioner and the implementation of the new decree, results will be seen in the next two or three months. However, the chronic nature of the prison crisis is not to be underestimated, as demonstrated by the ongoing challenges of deaths, overcrowding, and thousands of detainees awaiting trial.
Various figures, including parliamentarians and government officials, visited different prisons on Ferragosto to shed light on the dire situation within the Italian prison system. The Vice Group Leader of the Democratic Party in the Chamber of Deputies, Paolo Ciani, visited the Regina Coeli prison, where he witnessed the overcrowded conditions and understaffing, along with a sense of hope mixed with despair among both prisoners and staff. Politicians like Matteo Renzi and Raffaella Paita also visited prisons, calling for more resources and better conditions for both prisoners and prison staff.
There is a consensus among organizations and politicians that urgent action is needed to address the crisis in Italian prisons. Carlo Nordio visited the former labor house SAT, which has undergone renovations to accommodate police officers and detainees engaged in external work. However, more needs to be done to rebuild prisons and provide a more humane environment for both detainees and staff. Matteo Renzi emphasized the inadequacy of recent government measures and stressed the importance of finding real and effective solutions to the dramatic issues facing the prison system.
The visits to prisons on Ferragosto have highlighted the urgent need for reforms in the Italian prison system. The chronic overcrowding, lack of resources, and deteriorating infrastructure underscore the need for immediate action to improve the conditions for both detainees and prison staff. The government’s efforts, such as the new decree on prisons, are seen as important steps, but more comprehensive and sustainable solutions are required to address the systemic challenges within the Italian prison system.
