# Italian prison security and reform proposals

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/italian-prison-security-and-reform-proposals
> Updated: 2026-08-23T11:00:02.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2.

The Autonomous Union of Prison Police (SAPPE) has called on Italian Justice Minister Carlo Nordio to establish specialized facilities to manage highly violent and high-risk inmates. SAPPE General Secretary Donato Capece argued that current practices of transferring aggressive prisoners between overcrowded institutions merely shift the problem rather than resolving security issues.

To address rising assaults and critical incidents, the union proposed utilizing existing legal frameworks to create dedicated national circuits or specialized sections equipped with advanced security, trained staff, and psychiatric assistance. As part of this strategy, SAPPE suggested evaluating the reopening of the Asinara and Pianosa prisons as models for these modern facilities.

In response to these developments, a group of 26 intellectuals and professionals in Sardinia issued an appeal to national and local institutions. They urged a rethinking of the region’s role in the penal system, seeking to move away from the perception of Sardinia as an ‘island-prison’ and toward a system focused on responsibility and civil development.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-23: SAPPE union calls for specialized Italian prison facilities for violent inmates

The Italian prison police union (SAPPE) is urging Justice Minister Carlo Nordio to create specialized national facilities for violent inmates to prevent the continuous transfer of security issues between jails.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sappe-union-calls-for-specialized-italian-prison-facilities-for-violent-inmates

### 2026-08-21: Asinara and Pianosa prison reopening proposed to manage high-risk inmates

The SAPPE union has proposed reopening Asinara and Pianosa prisons for high-risk inmates, while Sardinian intellectuals call for a reform to move beyond the region's reputation as an 'island-prison'.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/asinara-and-pianosa-prison-reopening-proposed-to-manage-high-risk-inmates

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Cite as: Italian prison security and reform proposals. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/italian-prison-security-and-reform-proposals
