In Rome, three prison police officers have been suspended for a year following accusations of alleged violence committed between February and November 2025 against minors detained at the Casal del Marmo prison.
In addition to them, seven other colleagues are under investigation on charges including torture, assault, and forgery of public documents. The investigating judge's decision was based on the statements of the young detainees involved.
Responding to the incident, Giuseppe Merola, national secretary of the FSA CNPP/SPP union responsible for juveniles, emphasized the importance of respecting the work of the judiciary, while also preventing prison officers from being exposed to media scrutiny. Merola highlighted the daily challenges faced by officers, who often work in precarious facilities and deal with inmates with serious psychiatric and social issues, as well as perpetrators of assault and other critical behavior.
The union representative also emphasized the role of prison police in promoting the social reintegration of minors through educational activities and projects, emphasizing that this model represents European excellence based on the educational purpose of punishment.
Finally, Merola highlighted the increase in admissions to the juvenile penal system following the Caivano decree, a phenomenon that has exacerbated the organizational and management challenges of juvenile penal institutions, making the work of prison staff even more complex.
