Beat the mafias

A small book tells the story of a forgotten world

It is not a manual, but a life story lived by those who ended up in prison due to wrong choices and of those who by choice attend prison because they deeply believe in art. 27 of the Constitution: «Punishments cannot consist of treatments contrary to the sense of humanity and must aim at the re-education of the convicted person».

email to a teacher. How schools can beat the mafias (Effatà Editrice) is a small book that tells the story of a large world that is too often forgotten and marginalized on the margins of our cities: prison. A text written by many hands edited by Giuseppe Giunti, a Franciscan who for years has accompanied justice collaborators in the Alessandria prison and Marina Lomunno, a journalist who offers her professionalism to give voice to what good happens behind the prison walls. With them the words of Maria Teresa Pichetto, the promoter of the university center inside the Lorusso Cotugno penitentiary institute in Turin, tireless supporter that culture within the walls is absolutely necessary, the inmates themselves admit: «It's not that studying gets me out of prison sooner prison, but it lets me out of another person" and again "studying in prison is an important alternative to lead a person to reflect on the past and regain self-esteem".

Page after page the thoughts of prisoners emerge and their relationship with the school, too often abandoned at a young age which could have changed their lives, the director's moving narration of Roberto who was able to be reborn in and after prison Elena Lombardi Vallauri who leads the Turin institute after having been in Asti and Alessandria.

The words also of a juvenile judge and writer, as well as the experience of a class of young high school students who were confronted with the evangelical phrase: I was in prison and you visited me. Words and reflections to say together that school, culture and education defeat mafia-type crime.

The title evokes Don Lorenzo Milani's book Letter to a Professor, and each chapter opens with a phrase taken from that book. These are strong and significant sentences of her vision developed with and for the children of Bibiana. «We have chosen – explain the authors – to take inspiration from Don Milani also because this year we celebrate the centenary of his birth and after decades his message remains very current, and unfortunately, still incomplete».

The proceeds from copyright are entirely donated to support the needs of justice collaborators and their families.

Chiara Genesio

NP Novembre 2023