Italy’s prisons are overcrowded and the possibility of releasing about ten thousand prisoners, or 15% of the total prison population, is being considered to ease the situation, Reuters reports.
The Italian Ministry of Justice announced on the 15th of July that 10,105 prisoners could potentially be eligible for other types of punishment, such as house arrest or probation supervision. Such an option would be available only to prisoners whose sentences are final and no longer subject to appeal; no more than two years remain on their sentence and there have been no serious violations in prison in the last 12 months.
Persons serving sentences for terrorism, participation in organized crime, sex crimes, migrant smuggling and kidnapping will not be eligible for early release.
According to the World Prison Brief,
Italy’s prisons are 122% occupied, one of the worst situations in Europe.
The plight of Italy’s prisoners has drawn wider attention, with a rising suicide rate and complaints of unbearable heat in buildings that lack air conditioning.
The release of prisoners is a politically sensitive issue, and the Justice Ministry has said it will not happen overnight. The ministry has set up a working group to work with prisons and parole judges to decide on individual cases. The group will meet weekly and report back in September.
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