{"id":12896,"date":"2026-04-21T16:23:32","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T14:23:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rivistaeco.com\/?p=12896"},"modified":"2026-04-21T16:23:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T14:23:32","slug":"prisons-are-bursting-at-the-seams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rivistaeco.com\/en\/2026\/04\/21\/prisons-are-bursting-at-the-seams\/","title":{"rendered":"Prisons Are Bursting at the Seams"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 2025, overcrowding is no longer an exception but the prevailing condition of the Italian prison system. The majority of inmates are held in institutions that significantly exceed their official capacity, and only a small fraction are housed in facilities that comply with prescribed limits. This situation has direct consequences for the quality of detention and the effectiveness of reintegration programs.<\/em><\/p>\n

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The chart shows the distribution of Italian inmates according to the level of overcrowding in the institution where they are held. The different bands indicate the ratio between the actual number of inmates and the official capacity of prisons: a value above 100 means that the institution holds more people than it was designed to accommodate.<\/p>\n

Only 8% of inmates are in facilities below the 100% threshold\u2014that is, not overcrowded. The remaining 92% are held in prisons where this limit is exceeded. In particular, 26.8% are detained in facilities with an occupancy rate between 100% and 130%, representing a modest to moderate level of overcrowding. A much more serious situation affects 65% of inmates, who are held in institutions with an occupancy rate exceeding 130% of official capacity.<\/p>\n

The largest group consists of inmates housed in prisons with occupancy rates between 150% and 199.9%. In practical terms, this means that more than one-third of prisoners live in facilities holding at least one and a half times the number of people they were designed for. A smaller but still significant share is detained in institutions with overcrowding levels exceeding 200%.<\/p>\n

The trend in recent years confirms that this is not a temporary spike. Between 2020 and 2025, the national overcrowding index rose from 113% to over 134%. Over the same period, the prison population increased by more than 10,000 inmates, while available places actually declined. Today, Italian prisons hold over 62,000 inmates compared to just over 29,000 available rooms. As many as 157 out of 189 institutions exceed their official capacity\u2014more than eight out of ten.<\/p>\n

When the number of inmates consistently exceeds intended capacity, the consequences are far from abstract: less individual space, greater difficulty accessing educational and rehabilitation programs, increasing pressure on staff, and rising tensions within institutions.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In 2025, overcrowding is no longer an exception but the prevailing condition of the Italian prison system. 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