The situation in the prisons

 In the cardboard case brought by Father Vittorio, the Franciscan chaplain to the jail in Rebibbia, in Lourdes, there was also the prayer of Juan the Bolivian farmer. His little daughter had cancer. To send her for care in the private hospital in his country, the only one that is good, cost too much money. A drug trafficker of the city had known that, and he offered him a large sum of money in exchange of carrying a package from La Paz to Rome. "I know", said the poor farmer "that it was a bad thing, but what can you do when your child is dying? " 

  The police arrested him at the airport. And now he has written to Mother Mary: “Mother Mary, I know I’m  wrong, but please help my child! Mother of Jesus help me  to get out of here and return home soon."

Update to Jenuary 21,  2009

The Minister of Justice, On. Angelino Alfano made known the update figures of the situation of the Prisons in Italy: Nowdays in the Italian Prisons (206 Prisons)  there are 58.692 inmates: 14.266 inmates are waiting for the trial, 10,395 are waiting for the 2° grade of Judgment and 21.562 are extracommunitarian prisoners. At the same time He presentend the new "Prison plan" : it consist in building new prisons. The Minister gave this task to Dott. Franco Ionta, Chief of the Italian Department of Correction. His pimary goal is to face the ovecrowding and to implement the human  rights of prisoners according to the European Law Minimum standard.

Update to August 26,  2008

In the occasion of the Meeting for the friendship among people organized by "Comunione e Liberazione" a catholic Movement, the Minister of Justice, On. Angelino Alfano made known the update figures of the situation of the Prisons in Italy: Nowdays in the Italian Prisons there are 55.369 inmates.

Update to Semptember 18,  2007

Naples, Plebiscito Square,  September 21, 2007: Celebration of the Correctional Police Feast in the occasion of the 190th anniversary of its foundation.

In the occasion of the celebration of the Correctional Police Feast and at the same time of its 190th anniversary of foundation, The Minister of Justice, Sen. Mr.Clemente Mastella made known the update figures of the situation of the Prisons in Italy a year after the act of clemence which gave freedom to almost 26.752 prisoners.

Among those who got freedom due to the act of clemency 6.194 went back to prison because they committed new crimes ( 22% of the total): 4.318 are Italians. Nevertheless The department of Correction made known that the rate of recidivism is not increased. In fact, before the act of clemence the rate of recidivism was 44% while for the time being is 42%

Nowdays in the Italian Prisons there are 46.118 inmates. 17.369 prisoners are already sentenced, while 15.718 are waiting for the first grade of judgment. The figures clearly shows that in only one year a considerable increase of imprisonment has taken place:  from 38.847 convicts (last august 2006) to 46.118. Italian Prisons can only housed 43.140 prisoners.

Justice figures: Update to july 31,  2006 

At the date of July 31, 2006 There were 61.246. inmates in Italian Prison. Due to the law 241/2006 about "clemency" towards prisoners, 17.449 inmates got freedom. In Italian Prison  there are now almost  38.847  inmates.  "In the biggest Italians' prisons you can now breath... Now the problem is to try to understand how fast they will be full again... unless Italian Government would put the Reform of the Justice at the first place in its action"

 (Associazione Antigone: 4° Report about the conditions in the prisons, Carocci pubblishing, October 2006)