Urgent Appeal of the Conference of Territorial Guarantors: Stop Suicides in Prison
The need for immediate interventions to put an end to the tragedy of deaths in prison.
The National Conference of Territorial Guarantors of Persons Deprived of Personal Liberty has launched an urgent appeal to address the serious problem of suicides in prison. The words of the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, requesting “urgent interventions” have given voice to a problem that cannot be ignored.
The list of tragic deaths in prison by suicide continues to grow inexorably, with the number of cases so high that it is impossible to keep it updated. This constant drip of human lives is accompanied by the feeling of inadequacy of the prevention activities implemented.
Prison overcrowding represents one of the main causes of this unsustainable situation. The majority of prisoners live in overcrowded cells for over 20 hours a day, violating the fundamental principles of our Constitution and Penitentiary Regulations.
It is imperative to fill detention time with meaningful activities, including cultural, work, sports and recreational programs. Family relationships and volunteering must be strengthened by increasing the number of interviews, telephone and video calls.
Furthermore, it is essential to guarantee the presence of specialized personnel, such as psychologists, educators, psychiatrists, social workers and linguistic mediators, to offer adequate support to prisoners and understand the causes of their suffering.
It is also essential to increase the use of alternative measures to detention, making the Surveillance Jurisdiction more efficient and allocating more resources for this purpose.
The Conference of Territorial Guarantors asks parliamentarians for specific and immediate rules, and asks the Minister of Justice for timely concrete measures, in line with the appeal of the President of the Republic.
Political representatives and magistrates are also invited to regularly visit prisons to directly understand the situation and help find effective solutions.
On April 18, 2024, exactly one month after the President’s appeal, the Conference will issue this appeal again, remembering the names of the prisoners who died by suicide and urging immediate action.
The Conference declares itself ready to collaborate with the competent institutions to address the serious problems that afflict the Italian prison system and those involved in it.
Tags: Urgent Appeal Conference Territorial Guarantors
