Italy Plans 15,000 Prison Spaces To Reduce Overcrowding

The Italian government has unveiled a comprehensive plan to address the country's severe prison overcrowding by expanding capacity by up to 15,000 places and facilitating the transfer of inmates with addiction problems to rehabilitation centers. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni emphasized that a just society should align prison capacity with the number of individuals serving sentences, amid growing concerns following a record number of inmate suicides and complaints about extreme heat in poorly ventilated prisons. The government has proposed a €758 million plan to add nearly 10,000 prison spaces by 2027, alongside an additional initiative to create 5,000 more places over five years without a specified budget. A draft law awaiting parliamentary approval aims to allow prisoners with substance dependencies, who constitute nearly a third of the prison population, to serve sentences in treatment facilities rather than traditional correctional institutions. Justice Minister Carlo Nordio highlighted that these inmates need treatment, not punishment, and also announced plans for the gradual early release of around 10,000 non-violent prisoners nearing the end of their sentences, with a task force established to expedite case assessments. Despite a previous law passed last year to improve prison conditions, critics say its impact has been minimal, further underscoring the urgency of these new measures.