A day of high tension in the Avellino District Prison, where the penitentiary police seized prohibited objects cleverly hidden in the cell structures. During an inspection, the agents discovered and confiscated three smartphones, a micro-cell phone and seven telephone cards, hidden in the iron gates of the detention rooms.
The discovery was possible thanks to the promptness of the penitentiary police personnel, as underlined by Marianna Argenio, regional vice secretary of the Autonomous Union of Penitentiary Police (SAPPe). “This new concealment technique requires constant monitoring in all prison rooms,” Argenio declared, expressing satisfaction for the work of the agents.
Also yesterday, an inmate attacked a prison police officer. The man is believed to be the same person involved in an episode that occurred on January 4, when he attempted to leave the interview room in an action initially interpreted as a possible escape, later denied by the Department of Penitentiary Administration (DAP).
Despite the deployment of additional personnel by the DAP, the situation inside the Avellino prison remains critical. There are still serious staff shortages, especially among non-commissioned officers, with consequences for internal security and the work of the agents, who often find themselves operating without clear points of reference.
Donato Capece, general secretary of SAPPe, expressed solidarity with the Avellino agents, asking for structural interventions to improve working conditions and safety in penitentiary institutions. “We need more police, clear rules of engagement, advanced technology and adequate training for those working on the front lines,” Capece declared.
Among the proposals put forward, Capece reiterated the need to equip the prison police with tasers as an anti-aggression tool. “The taser could be an effective option, considering that the physical and medical conditions of the prisoners are known before each use,” has explained.
Capece also called for measures to transfer foreign prisoners to their countries of origin to serve their sentences, and the reopening of Judicial Psychiatric Hospitals to manage the ever-increasing number of prisoners with psychiatric problems currently in prison. The episode of Avellino It is only the latest in a long series that highlights the difficulties of the Italian penitentiary system.
Article published on 11 January 2025 - 17:28
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