Table of Contents
Clash between lawyers in the city council in Milan, Monday 18 November, over prisons. In the ‘ring’ are Alessandro Giungi of the Democratic Party and Michele Mardegan of Fratelli d’Italia. One, vice president of the prison subcommittee at Palazzo Marino, often intervenes to talk about the problems of prisoners; the other, with a more reserved profile, doesn’t say anything when he feels caught in the moment.
The reason for the dispute is the role of the government regarding the increase in prisoners (and also suicides), the next security decree, but also the statement of the undersecretary Andrea Delmastro (of Fdi): “We feel intimate joy in not allowing people to breathe the prisoners” in the new KGM-Ssangyong armored vehicles just presented. A statement that was far from retracted: “All we need is to give the mafia some breathing room”, the Fdi representative then said.
But let’s get back to the duel in the council. Giungi’s ‘la’, when he took the floor, recalling “80 people detained for suicide this year, in addition to 7 prison police officers”, but also “the dilapidation of the prisons, which concerns not only this government”, and the billion euros spent “unnecessarily in Albania for an unused CPR because, obviously, Italian and European judges, by applying the rules, prevent the deportation of foreign people”.
Meloni government “worse than fascism”
“Faced with this terrible condition”, continued Giungi, “the government was able to repeal the crime of abuse of office, which concerns a few hundred people, all white collar workers who usually, also thanks to their economic possibilities, are not in prison they go there.” And then the future security decree, yet to be approved. For Giungi it will be worse than fascism: “It contains the automatic nature of ending up in prison for pregnant women and mothers detained with children up to 1 year old. Even fascism, in the Rocco Code, provided for the deferral of the sentence in these cases. And then prisoners who put in place passive resistance, such as refusing lunch, without violence, will risk very severe penalties.”
In this context, Giungi quoted Delmastro’s statement: “A horrible sentence. Guaranteeism must apply in all conditions, not only when we are faced with white collar crimes. I think his apologies are necessary.”
Sparks fly between the two lawyer advisors
Shortly afterwards, Michele Mardegan took the floor and also spoke on the topic: “It is not the government that has established 15 thousand more prisoners”, said the councilor of Fratelli d’Italia: “The prisoners are condemned to this dramatic situation by judges due to unruly behavior. It is not the government’s fault that the prison population has increased.”
And then the sparks flew, when Mardegan proposed his solution: “I agree that prisons are inadequate, and I wonder why we have never taken into consideration the possibility of building a new prison in Milan”. While Giungi interrupted him by shouting at him to be ashamed, Mardegan continued: “You want people not to be in prison, while the real solution is to create prisons suited to the dignity of people. This way you are truly on the side of the prisoners”.
1. Could you please elaborate on the disagreement that occurred between you and your colleague, Alessandro Giungi, regarding the role of the government in addressing the issues faced by prisoners and the increase in prison population in Milan?
2. How would you respond to the argument that the government should be held accountable for the declining conditions of prisons due to budget cuts and lack of investment?
3. What are your thoughts on the role of judicial practices in contributing to the rise of prisoner populations, and how can this be addressed without compromising the rule of law?
4. In light of the concern raised by Alessandro Giungi about the proposed security decree’s impact on mothers and pregnant women in prison, what measures do you believe should be taken to ensure their well-being while also maintaining public safety?
5. In your view, what is the best approach to addressing prison violence and unrest without resorting to excessive penalties for nonviolent protests?
6. How do you perceive the relationship between investment in prison infrastructure and rehabilitation outcomes for inmates?
7. Do you believe that the current political climate in Italy has an impact on the discussions and decisions surrounding prison reform and the treatment of inmates, particularly in relation to opposition views?
8. do you have any suggestions for improving collaboration between different political parties and stakeholders involved in discussions concerning prison policies and reforms in Milan and Italy as a whole?
