For a better life

The commission established by ministerial decree of 13 September 2021 and chaired by Marco Ruotolo, full professor of Constitutional Law at the Roma Tre University, with the task of identifying possible concrete interventions to improve the quality of life in prisons , so that it is more and more compliant with constitutional principles and international standards, has finished its work. A few days before Christmas he delivered a substantial document in the hands of the Minister of Justice, Marta Cartabia, who assured: "Evaluating it will be my priority from January". Scrolling through the text it emerges that the Commission has identified several guidelines.

Eight training areas are proposed. They range from training in the management of violent acts, aimed at deepening the mechanisms that are at the origin of violence, both towards the environment and towards oneself , with the aim of affecting three levels: organization, operators and prisoners. Interventions on training in the management of critical events and resilience - organizational and individual - also in relation to the response of all the personnel of the criminal execution. Then training in mental health also in reference to the management of suicides and injurious or self-injurious actions. The Commission proposes training actions in the various areas that affect the entire prison world. They range from interinstitutional, integrated and joint training - between prison and health administrations - also in order to combat the burnout syndrome and for a significant improvement in organizational well-being by supporting processes of operational transformation.
Further training in the field of restorative justice, which must look at the entire system of criminal execution - intramural and extramural - concerning the methods of organizing and managing the intervention in detention structures as well as working with local communities.

The need for functional training in a good organization is highlighted by promoting a culture that favors mediation. Training on "specialization in the treatment of juvenile prisoners", in implementation of a framework agreement on the subject. Training is therefore identified aimed at supporting the reorganization processes of external criminal execution, enhancing the work with the services and resources of the local communities, also with a view to effectively achieving the objectives pursued by the recent justice reform. Then training in the field of identity protection, which also with reference to operational management processes, deepens the theme of the different identities present in the criminal execution sector.


Chiara Genisio
NP January 2022