“In a few days, inside the prison of Poggioreale, we have recorded the tragic loss of four lives, three of which are clearly cases of suicide.
Beyond the analyses, which find agreement among all the realities operating in the prison world, I believe that it is now necessary to turn, first of all, to politics and the entire community, understood as civil society, to address what is happening. We cannot limit ourselves to asking ourselves why this happened, but we must focus on what can be done so that similar tragedies never happen again.
It is desirable that the measures typical of a civilized nation, which does not limit itself to considering detention as the only punishment, but which seeks to valorize the person even during imprisonment, increase.
At the same time, it is essential to involve professionals and specialized groups, so that they can establish a bond of empathy with the prison population and with all those who work in prison. The goal is to transform pain into a hope for change, not only for one's own condition, but also for a society that promotes the desire for inclusion.
Unfortunately, many inmates live with the knowledge that their sentence never ends, as long as they are designated, labeled, and then rejected as ex-convicts. By increasing the opportunities for rehabilitation, the desire to end one’s life will decrease.” These reflections are expressed by Don Tonino Palmese, Guarantor of the rights of detainees and persons deprived of personal liberty of the Municipality of Naples.
Article published on 23 January 2024 - 07:22
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