Poggioreale, Ciambriello: "200 officers are missing, detainees are being held in cells for up to 22 hours a day."

NAPLES – Cells shared by nine or ten people, inmates forced to spend up to 22 hours a day inside, a shortage of approximately 200 prison officers and just two psychiatrists on duty. This is the picture painted by the Campania Region's prison ombudsman, Samuele Ciambriello, at the end of his visit to the "Giuseppe Salvia" prison in Poggioreale.

The Neapolitan prison was one of the stops on an initiative organized by the Alliance for Article 27 of the Constitution, which saw delegations simultaneously visit 34 prisons in 29 Italian cities. At the end of the visit, the delegation met with the press to discuss the conditions they encountered inside one of the most overcrowded penitentiaries in Italy.

"The prison community is made up of inmates and officers: if one is well, the other is well too," Ciambriello declared, underlining the serious shortage of prison police personnel.

According to the regional ombudsman, the Poggioreale prison is short about 200 officers. This situation is compounded by healthcare difficulties, with few doctors and nurses and only two psychiatrists. "We've seen cells with nine or ten people," Ciambriello complained. "Today's slogan is: the right to dignity is non-negotiable."

During the visit, the guarantor also met with inmates with only a few months left to serve. "What are they still doing here?" Ciambriello asked, emphasizing the need to explore alternatives to detention in the appropriate cases.

The Guarantor nevertheless acknowledged the efforts made by the institute's new management, which is committed to implementing projects and training courses for the prison population. However, numerous critical issues remain, particularly in healthcare and assistance for individuals with drug addiction and psychiatric disorders.

Ciambriello called for intervention from the Campania Region, pointing out that not all healthcare providers have the resources necessary to support alternatives to prison for drug addicts.

The issue of mental health is also particularly sensitive. According to the ombudsman, the prison contains inmates with serious psychiatric problems who should not be confined in a prison facility. "The right to dignity is non-negotiable," Ciambriello reiterated, calling on institutions and administrations to fulfill their respective responsibilities.

The guarantor finally reported on the "ongoing dialogue with the Region." After a meeting with the Department and the heads of the Social Policy and Training sectors, new proposals are being considered to increase activities within the prison.

The goal is to reduce the number of hours prisoners spend in their cells, promote new workshops, and set up shelters for the homeless once their detention ends.