Naples – The prison break from Poggioreale, which had shaken the entire Campania prison system overnight, was concluded within hours.
The second fugitive, a 32-year-old Algerian, was also captured in Mondragone, in the Caserta province, by the prison police. The first, a 23-year-old Syrian, had already been apprehended that morning.
The operation was coordinated by the Campania prison superintendent, Lucia Castellano, who praised the prison police force for their swift and effective intervention. But behind the successful pursuit lies the shadow of an episode that exposes the flaws in the system.
The two inmates , both convicted of robbery, managed to escape with a rudimentary but effective plan: they opened an internal door and lowered themselves with sheets tied from the perimeter wall. The scene brings attention to the Naples prison, already notorious for overcrowding and difficult management conditions.
Donato Capece, secretary general of SAPPE (Autonomous Union of Penitentiary Police), gave a harsh comment: "This is an extremely serious matter that cannot be ignored. It's not an isolated incident, but rather a symptom of a system in constant crisis. At Poggioreale, there are over 2.000 inmates, compared to a regulatory capacity of 1.624, and the Penitentiary Police force currently numbers 670 instead of the planned 828, a 20% deficit."
Capece speaks of "exhausted" officers, forced to work grueling shifts and face reduced security. This, combined with overcrowding and dilapidated facilities, makes Campania's prisons veritable powder kegs.
The double capture averted the worst, but the lightning escape at Poggioreale remains a warning bell: that of an increasingly fragile prison system, where security seems to rest on the endurance of a staff that is now exhausted.
The news of the escape from Poggioreale prison is deeply troubling. The flaws in the penitentiary system are clear, and the plight of the prison officers, who work in difficult conditions and with limited resources, cannot be ignored.