Juvenile justice: Over 2.100 youths have been taken into care in Campania, with Nisida among the most affected institutions.

Over 2.100 minors and young adults are being cared for by external criminal justice services in Campania. This figure emerges from a snapshot updated to August 31, 2026, compiled based on official figures from the Department of Juvenile and Community Justice.

In Naples, 1.734 people have been taken into care, 586 of whom are newcomers in 2026. In Salerno, the number is 370, with 97 new admissions this year. These figures confirm Campania's importance in the national juvenile justice system, adding to the 241 youths currently in private care facilities in the area, with a daily average of 233,5 admissions.

The Juvenile Justice Center in Naples has also recorded 172 community placements since the beginning of the year.

The pressure also affects juvenile detention centers. As of August 31, 572 youths were detained in the 20 juvenile detention centers nationwide, including 48 between the ages of 14 and 15.

Nisida had 67 children, compared to an average daily attendance of 71,1 and a stable 93 admissions recorded throughout the year. This confirms the Neapolitan facility as one of the most requested nationwide.

In Airola, however, there were 21 young people present, with 16 total arrivals during the period. The Naples First Reception Center recorded 70 stable arrivals throughout the year.

The Multipurpose Day Centers in the penal area are also active in the Campania region, welcoming 25 young people in Nisida, 29 in Santa Maria Capua Vetere, and 11 in Salerno.

Samuele Ciambriello, the Campania region's ombudsman for prisoners, draws attention to the educational dimension of the phenomenon: "The numbers in the juvenile and young adult penal sector in Campania require profound institutional and social reflection. Seven children between the ages of 14 and 15 are detained in Nisida. Looking at national data, 17 minors have been convicted of voluntary homicide and 58 for attempted homicide and are being held in IPMs."

Ciambriello also emphasizes the need to complement the judicial response with rehabilitation and reintegration programs: "From the analysis of admissions and placements, it clearly emerges that, given the prevalence of crimes against property and persons, the response cannot be reduced to a purely punitive or custodial approach. The penitentiary facilities and communities in our region perform essential work, but they require constant strengthening of resources and networks for educational, psychological, and employment support."

The Ombudsman concludes by highlighting the strengthening of external services as one of the key tools for addressing the phenomenon: "Ensuring effective and genuine rehabilitation programs for young people in the penal sector means implementing primary prevention for the safety of the entire Campania community. Together with regional and local institutions, the non-profit sector, and the world of education and employment, we must strengthen the external penal sector and the system of educational communities."