Italian prisons face severe overcrowding and staff shortages

Delegations of the Alliance for Article 27 of the Constitution have inspected dozens of Italian penitentiaries, documenting a systemic crisis. At San Vittore in Milan, 1 173 inmates are held in a facility designed for 740, with 710 foreigners and 235 under‑24 years old. Similar overloads were reported at Pasquale Di Lorenzo in Agrigento (≈360 inmates in 260 places), Cosenza (≈280 in 220), Palermo’s Pagliarelli and Ucciardone (occupancy above 100 %), and at Dozza in Bologna where 828 people occupy 400 beds. Across the country, prison populations exceed official capacity by 30‑60 %, often reaching 140‑160 % of design limits.

Staff shortages compound the problem. Prisons operate with far fewer correctional officers than required—San Vittore has 565 officers versus the 655 mandated; Cosenza reports 565 versus 655; Palermo’s Malaspina hosts only 39 officers against 55 needed; Taranto runs with 6 educators for 850 inmates. Medical personnel are likewise scarce, with some facilities having only 4 permanent doctors for over 7 000 detainees nationally. The lack of staff strains security, health services, and rehabilitation programs.

Health and safety concerns are acute. Overcrowding fuels higher rates of drug dependence, psychiatric diagnoses, and suicides. Reports cite frequent fires, assaults on staff, and inadequate sanitary conditions, including insufficient ventilation and water supply. Drug seizures, such as 500 g intercepted at Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi, highlight ongoing illicit activity.

Together these findings portray an emergency in Italy’s penitentiary system, prompting calls from parliamentarians, unions, and civil‑society groups for urgent reforms, staffing boosts, and infrastructure upgrades to uphold detainees’ constitutional rights.