A delegation of Molise lawyers, accompanied by the secretary ofNobody Touches Cain Association, Sergio D’Elia, inspected the Campobasso prison yesterday, April 24th. Although they praised the organization and commitment of the staff, they highlighted serious problems of overcrowding, with a percentage of prisoners well above the national average (120% more than the expected capacity), the prison reached 180% overcrowding . With 143 inmates in spaces intended for 106, even taking into account the section closed for renovation, there are serious inconveniences, with an average of three inmates for every two places available.
The constant increase in inmates, expected to be 450 new ones per month, is bringing the Molise prison closer to a critical threshold, as reported by the European Court. Staff is also understaffed, with only around 80 operatives instead of the 112 needed. This leads to grueling shifts for officers, who are forced to work overtime to cope with staff shortages.
During a press conference, the president of Criminal Chamber of Campobasso, Mariano Principe, together with the representatives of the management, launched an appeal to the Region to guarantee prisoners the opportunity to participate in training programmes. Furthermore, the need to have more medical and psychological personnel was highlighted, especially for the management of prisoners with drug addiction problems and mental illnesses.
Finally, the President of the Campobasso Bar Association, Giuseppe De Rubertisunderlined the need to respect not only the re-educational function of the penitentiary system, but also the fundamental principles of the Constitution, in particular Article 2, which guarantees the inviolable rights of man.
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