Prisons, the hot summer behind bars: overcrowding and broken showers.

Italy's prisons are facing severe challenges during the summer months, with overcrowding, broken showers, and inadequate ventilation exacerbating already dire conditions. The situation has become even more critical as temperatures rise, pushing facilities beyond their capacity to cope. According to the mid-year report by Antigone, an organization dedicated to protecting the rights of detainees, nearly 65,000 people are currently incarcerated in Italian prisons, far exceeding the available space of just over 46,000 beds. This results in an average overcrowding rate of nearly 140 percent. Many institutions have reduced or halted activities aimed at promoting social interaction among inmates due to these worsening conditions. At the Beccaria juvenile detention center in Milan, the numbers appear slightly better, with 56 young detainees occupying 57 beds. Despite this relatively manageable count, the facility offers a range of activities designed to engage the youth, including baking, sports, painting, and work opportunities in a bicycle shop. However, concerns have arisen regarding the increasing number of minors arriving with serious mental health and behavioral issues. During a visit organized by the Milan Bar Association under the project “Ristretti in agosto,” it was noted that only one-third of the boys entering the institution had already started therapy before arrival. The heat intensifies the problems within prison walls, often finding structures ill-equipped to handle such extreme conditions. As highlighted by Antigone’s report, numerous correctional facilities lack air conditioning systems, and many do not even have enough fans. Even when inmates manage to step outside, they often encounter the hottest parts of the day on concrete courtyards devoid of shade. In Padua, some prisoners opt to remain in their cells, lying on their bunks rather than endure the sweltering heat outdoors. Structural deficiencies further compound the difficulties faced by detainees. At the Milan Opera facility, certain wards have experienced water shortages, prompting the Red Cross to distribute over 600 bottles of water. In Trapani, reports of mold, rust, and discolored tap water have surfaced. Showers continue to be a widespread issue, with more than half of Italy’s prisons having cells without access to shower facilities. At Beccaria, the summer visit revealed another pressing concern related to mental health. There has been an increase in minors exhibiting mental health and behavioral disorders, leading to a growing reliance on psychotropic medications. Commander Jolanda Tortù of the Beccaria juvenile detention center described the initial weeks as particularly challenging during her remarks made during the Milan Bar Association visit. She explained that some of the boys arrive with existing problematic relationships with psychopharmaceuticals, sometimes taking them alongside hashish without supervision. However, after the first few weeks, according to Tortù, the youths themselves begin requesting treatment. They ask for care and therapy, indicating a desire for help. Director Eleonora Cinque believes that responses should not solely rely on medication. Instead, she emphasizes the need for daily efforts focused on building relationships and fostering responsibility. She argues that the detained youths require containment but also dialogue, ensuring that incarceration does not become an isolating experience devoid of human connection.