The Italian government has announced a comprehensive new strategy to address its longstanding prison overcrowding crisis, pledging to create up to 15,000 additional prison places and expand non-custodial options for inmates battling addiction.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni unveiled the measures on Tuesday, asserting that a just society “should adjust the capacity of prisons to the number of people that need to serve their sentences.” The announcement comes amid growing public outcry over worsening prison conditions, including record-high inmate suicides last year and complaints of unbearable heat in facilities lacking air conditioning.
As of July 15, Italy’s prison population stood at 62,986—far exceeding the official capacity of 47,289—resulting in an occupancy rate of 133%, among the highest in Europe. Only Cyprus and France report worse figures, according to the World Prison Brief.
In response, the government has introduced a €758 million ($890 million) initiative to add nearly 10,000 new prison spaces by 2027. A separate plan aims to generate an additional 5,000 places over the next five years, although funding for that phase has yet to be specified.
Complementing the infrastructure expansion, a draft law has been approved to allow prisoners suffering from drug and alcohol addiction to serve their sentences in rehabilitation centres rather than traditional prisons. Justice Minister Carlo Nordio emphasized the rehabilitative approach, stating, “These are people who need treatment rather than criminals who need punishment,” noting that nearly one-third of inmates suffer from substance dependency.
The government also plans to ease prison populations by considering house arrest or probation for up to 10,000 inmates nearing the end of their sentences. A dedicated taskforce will oversee the process, though officials caution the releases will be gradual, reflecting the political sensitivities of Meloni’s right-wing administration, which has traditionally emphasized strict law enforcement.
Although a law aimed at improving prison conditions was passed last year, critics argue its effects have been minimal. The newly announced reforms represent the most ambitious effort in recent years to relieve pressure on Italy’s penal system and promote a more rehabilitative and humane approach to criminal justice.
