Naples, Piazza del Plebiscito – On the occasion of the celebration marking the 209th anniversary of the founding of the Penitentiary Police Corps, the national commemorative ceremony took place in Naples, set against the evocative backdrop of Piazza del Plebiscito. The event was attended by the country’s highest-ranking institutional representatives.
Among those present were the Regional Guarantor for the Rights of Persons Deprived of Personal Liberty for Calabria, Attorney Giovanna Francesca Russo, and the Regional Guarantor for Abruzzo, Attorney Monia Scalera. Their joint presence serves as a strong and tangible signal of institutional synergy and inter-regional collaboration.
The participation of the two Guarantors is part of a shared initiative aimed at strengthening stable and structured institutional relationships with the key stakeholders within the national penitentiary system—including the Department of Penitentiary Administration (DAP), the Government, and the National College of Guarantors. This effort is grounded in the understanding that only through continuous and informed dialogue can meaningful progress truly be made regarding processes of change.
“Being present here today,” the two Guarantors jointly declared, “means recognizing the human and professional value of the women and men of the Penitentiary Police—a daily bulwark of legality, security, and dignity. But it also means firmly reiterating that the penitentiary system must be analyzed—and subsequently rebuilt—by addressing the critical issues that have become entrenched over the years.” According to the Guarantors, however, this system also possesses numerous strengths—foremost among them being the inherent value and moral integrity of a Corps that brings honor to Italy by dedicating itself, day in and day out, to the lives of those in custody. “Only the capacity for teamwork among institutions,” they continue, “can generate authentic change. It is necessary to evolve the narrative surrounding prisons—moving beyond emergency-driven mindsets and the rhetoric of street-corner agitators—and to build a vision founded on shared responsibilities, rights, and reintegration pathways thoughtfully designed at the very tables where decisions are made and change is implemented.”
The Ombudspersons emphasize that building a genuine system of penitentiary welfare represents the true challenge today:
“Prison is not a place separate from society, but rather a mirror of it. Investing in the penitentiary system means investing in collective security and in the democratic quality of the country.”
A clear and unequivocal message emerges from their participation:
“The dignity of rights is not selective; it applies to everyone, without exception. Wherever rights are eroded, we all suffer a setback. Wherever rights are strengthened, the State becomes both more just and more robust.”
And furthermore:
“There can be no security without dignity, and no justice without humanity. The prison system serves as the ultimate litmus test for the credibility of our institutions.”
The joint presence of the Ombudspersons for Calabria and Abruzzo thus stands as a further step toward establishing a cohesive institutional network—one capable of addressing the challenges facing the Italian penitentiary system with both vision and responsibility.
