Govt to approve measures to ease prison overcrowding

(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 3 - Premier Giorgia Meloni's cabinet is set to examine a decree with measures aimed at easing prison overcrowding on Wednesday amid concern about the high number of suicides among inmates and warders, sources said.
    Prison Police Union SPP said Monday 51 prisoners took their own lives in the first six months of 2024 and five guards had also committed suicide.
    The decree includes the establishment of a list of low-security centres that will be able to accommodate some type of prisoners, such as those with short sentences, drug addicts and those convicted of certain non-violent crimes, the sources said.
    It will also feature the simplification and streamlining of the procedures for the granting of early release, and new rules for the recruitment and training of warders and jail managers.
    There are also plans to increase the number of phone calls granted to prisoners.
    At the moment there are around 61,000 inmates in Italy's jails, while the official capacity is around 51,000, with an overcrowding rate 119%. (ANSA).