Every year, Liberties member Antigone produces reports on detention conditions in Italy. These reports take stock of the situation of the Italian prison system by analysing data, statistics and the findings resulting from the direct observation of prisons. The latter are available thanks to the work of Antigone’s Observatory, which since 1998 has had authorization to enter all Italian prisons.
Antigone's new 2018 mid-year report shows some reasons to be optimistic about future improvement in Italian detention conditions. Nevertheless, the report also points out that alternatives to detention, which can be both cheaper and more effective, remain underused by Italian authorities.
Capacity issue remains
According to the 2018 mid-year report, recently presented in Rome, the figures of the individuals who enter prison and were previously free are decreasing (24.380 in the first few months of 2018, compared to 25.144 in the first half of 2017).
This shows that criminal activity is not increasing, as also shown by the statistics on crimes committed. However, the total number of inmates is rising, even if slightly: the number of detainees increased by about 700 in the last 5 months.
As of 30 June 2018, inmates held in Italian prisons totaled 58.759 - 8.127 more than the regulatory capacity of these structures.
Foreigners don't create security emergency
This is what emerges from the mid-year report on prisons by Associazione Antigone, in which reference is also made to the issue of foreigners.
There is no emergency with respect to foreigners, and there is no security emergency related to them. The detention of foreigners in Italy has decreased by more than half in the last 10 years.
While in 2008 the rate of detention (i.e. the number of foreign prisoners out of the number of foreigners residing in Italy) was 0.71%, as of the 30 June of this year this rate is 0.33%. Foreign prisoners have even decreased in absolute terms compared to 2008.
This data can be explained through the measures adopted to foster the inclusion of foreigners. Normalising the position of foreigners and integrating them into society significantly reduces crime rates.
An example of this is the case of the Romanians: while the number of Romanians residing in Italy has been growing, Romanian detainees have decreased by over 1.000 within just 5 years.
Alternatives still lacking
In its report, Associazione Antigone also responds to those proposing to build new prisons. Building an institution capable of holding 250 inmates costs about 35 million euros. The alternative measures to detention, which can achieve much better results in reducing recidivism, are much cheaper.
Currently in Italy there are 28.621 individuals who benefit from alternative measures (16.554 in community service probation, 11.159 in home detention, 908 in semi-liberty). This figure could increase up to 50.000, if detention was not considered the only solution for those who have residual sentences of less than three years and could therefore benefit from alternative measures.
