Naples – “Prevention, rather than cure”: this is the warning launched by Samuele Ciambriello, Campania guarantor of prisoners and spokesperson of the National Conference of guarantors of persons deprived of personal liberty, on the sidelines of the event organized by the Pol.is Foundation of the Region Campania.
The occasion was the presentation of the data from the research 'Mind the Children: vulnerability and deviance in Campania', funded by the Ministry of University and Research and held in the Church of Saints Marcellino and Festo in Naples.
The numbers speak for themselves: as of March 9, 2025, 105 minors are detained in juvenile detention centers (IPM) in Campania, of which 79 in Nisida and 26 in Airola. A picture that fits into a broader context of critical issues, with a significant increase in violent crimes.
At the end of 2024, in fact, among the 99 minors and young adults present in the Campania IPMs, 44 voluntary homicides were recorded, compared to 28 in 2023, and 5 road homicides. Data that make you think and that require, according to Ciambriello, a change of direction in the policies to combat juvenile deviance.
Overcrowding and structural deficiencies
“In some institutions there is great overcrowding, with minors forced to sleep on the floor on mattresses,” Ciambriello denounced, underlining how the Government has announced the construction of new prisons for minors. However, according to the guarantor, it is not enough: “With respect to juvenile deviance and petty crime, institutions must do more, focusing on prevention.”
The causes of deviance: abandoned childhood and school dropout
The portrait of young prisoners drawn by Ciambriello is that of boys with a childhood marked by abandonment, the lack of parental figures and school dropout.
"The common denominator of these kids is a difficult childhood, often without both parents. We need to track them down before they fall into crime and offer them real alternatives," he explained.
One of the proposed solutions is to strengthen the reception communities. Currently, in Italy there are about a thousand minors placed in these structures, of which 165 in Campania. However, Ciambriello warns: "The community is not the panacea. It is not enough to send a child there if local, regional and national institutions do not do their part. We need a joint commitment to free minors from the streets and educate them to become responsible adults".
The meeting with Minister Nordio
Tomorrow afternoon, Ciambriello, as spokesperson for a delegation of Guarantors, will be received by the Minister of Justice, Carlo Nordio. An eagerly awaited meeting, after the one last week, during which the issues relating to minors and juvenile institutions were not addressed.
“A serious and constructive discussion is needed to find effective solutions,” concluded the guarantor, reiterating the urgency of structural and long-term interventions.
Meanwhile, the research data and Ciambriello's words shine a spotlight on a problem that can no longer be ignored: juvenile deviance is a complex challenge, which requires not only repression, but above all prevention, education and a welfare system capable of intercepting the discomfort before it is too late.
Article published on March 18, 2025 - 15pm
And a very important topic that of juvenile delinquency. The data presented by Ciambriello make us reflect on how institutions must intervene to prevent difficult situations in young people. The support of the communities is also important.