"The Italian penitentiary system is approaching by leaps and bounds levels of overcrowding that would configure generalized inhuman and degrading treatment of detained persons. Action must be taken and taken now because, at current rates of growth, by the end of 2024 we will be in a dramatic condition. Let the 15 suicides in this first month and a half of the year be a ringing alarm bell. We appeal to the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella to call on Parliament to discuss the prison issue and to do so based on pragmatic choices and not ideological approaches". This was said by Patrizio Gonnella, President of Antigone, an association committed to the protection of rights and guarantees in the penal and prison system. As of January 31, there were 60,637 people present, compared to 51,347 official places (although there are about 3,000 of these that are not available). There were 2,615 women detainees, 4.3 percent of those present, and 18,985 foreign detainees, 31.3 percent of those present. Already during 2021, after the drop in attendance due to the pandemic, attendance in our prisons has returned to growth. From the end of 2020 to date, growth has been over 7,000, an average growth of 0.4 percent per month. However, if you look at the growth over the last 12 months, this is an average of 0.7 percent per month. If you look only at the last six months, the average monthly growth was 0.8 percent. The average overcrowding rate (calculated on official places and not on those actually available) is 118.1 percent, but, as always in recent times, the most overcrowded regions are Puglia (143.1%) and Lombardy (147.3%). The most crowded institutions are Brescia "Canton Monbello" (218.1%), Grosseto (200%), Lodi (200%), Foggia (189%), Taranto (182.2%) and Brindisi (181.51%).
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