Less than two years ago, Italy’s prison system faced a crisis: Built to hold 43,000 inmates, it was straining to contain more than 60,000. So the government crafted an emergency plan. It swung open the prison doors and let more than a third of the inmates go free.
Within months, bank robberies jumped by 20%. Kidnappings and fraud also rose, as did computer crime, arson and purse-snatchings. The prison population, however, fell so much that for awhile Italy had more prison guards than prisoners to guard…
With the justice system at a standstill, prosecution carries little stigma. Consider Italy’s two-time prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi…Mr. Berlusconi is leading in the polls and stands a good chance of being re-elected as Italy’s prime minister this month.
Mr. Berlusconi, who is also one of Italy’s richest men, was convicted in two of the cases brought against him, but the charges were all eventually overturned on appeal or tossed out because the statute of limitations had expired. Other cases are still pending in the courts…
The sorry state of Italy’s prison infrastructure plays a role, too. Prosecutors have charged Salvatore Ferranti for being a henchman of one of Sicily’s fiercest crime families. But last month he was released from the slammer and given house arrest. The reason: He was too fat. The prison system didn’t have beds big enough to accommodate his 462-pound frame.“The fact of the matter is that obesity is not compatible with prison,” says Lino Buscemi, secretary of the Sicily region’s Department of Prisoners’ Rights in Palermo.
It’s reality TV-jurisprudence.
Thanks, Helen
I guess Ferranti “Took a BIG BITE, A BIG GULP, AND SUPER-SIZED out of the Criminal Justice System” – Too Fat indeed !!!
But there or here in America, “Getting Tough on Crime” COSTS MONEY !!! And most Politicians will beat their chests and SPEND YOUR MONEY !!! And in the end, the Taxpayers don’t want to pay it !!! And jailing those who “Posses” small amounts of drugs takes jail space better reserved for violent offenders …
Keep your ignorant opinions to yourself. I work in the criminal justice system and it’s nearly impossible to be sent to prison due to possession of drugs for personal use. This myth that our prison system is filled with mere drug users is nonsense.
How do we spell Italian Justice?
M-A-F-I-A!
#2 Here at DU nobody likes facts to get in the way.
In my neck of the woods, just over 11% of the prison population is there for drug possession. This does not include those busted for trafficking.
#2 – This myth that our prison system is filled with mere drug users is nonsense.
It’s a myth because we know that our prison’s are full of non-violent offenders, and we know drug users are typically non-violent, thus that mistaken assumption is often made.
But if you didn’t kill someone, rape someone, assault someone, or steal something big… Then what are you in prison for. We incarcerate for fun. Prosecutors are locking people up like they are competing for high score.
That is not a myth at all.
#5 – In my neck of the woods, just over 11% of the prison population is there for drug possession. This does not include those busted for trafficking.
Figure out what the percentage is when you add trafficking and I’ll tell you how much we can reduce crime and boost the economy by decriminalizing all drugs and completely legalizing a few of them.
#5–Moss==so your neck of the woods includes a recently built high security prison. So What? Even if accurate, your person “anything” is not relevant to national statistics.
Last thread this came up, google showed around 80% of prison population were drug and alcohol related==alcohol being used to drown out the voices, if you get what I mean.
Well, apparently our local lock-up has over half the people in for drugs. Our Sheriff, Prosecutor, and Judge take a dim view of meth.
Many of the rest are in jail for alcohol related offenses, including public intoxication.
I know this from casual conversations with law enforcement types.