Agriculture in Prisons to Reduce Recidivism Rates
The management of prisons in Italy is complex, mainly due to overcrowding and the limited use of alternative measures to detention. According to the XIX Report by the Antigone Association, there are over 56,674 inmates compared to a maximum capacity of 51,249, with an actual overcrowding rate exceeding 119%. The prison population has significantly aged, with an increase in inmates over 50 years old from 17% to 29% and those over 70 doubling in ten years, further complicating the social reintegration of inmates.
The 2023 CNEL report highlights a recidivism rate of 68.7%, indicating the system’s difficulties in preventing recidivism and promoting reintegration. Only 33% of inmates are involved in work activities, primarily under prison administration. However, those participating in professional integration programs have a recidivism rate of 2%, demonstrating the effectiveness of work as a reintegration tool. CNEL has documented 221 projects for the economic and social inclusion of inmates, involving or based in 41 penitentiary institutions. Most projects are carried out by cooperatives, cooperative consortia, social promotion associations, and similar entities. Of the professional training interventions, 14.0% are dedicated to green care and agriculture, while within the scope of projects and interventions aimed at job placement, 22.7% of the 78 actions analyzed pertain to the green care and agriculture sector.
According to data from the Department of Penitentiary Administration (DAP), 2,524 inmates are employed in activities related to agriculture, livestock, shepherding, forestry, agricultural mechanics, and gardening. In recent years, some institutions in our country have decided to promote horticultural activities as a new form of work within the prison. By growing plants that require their care and attention, inmates are encouraged to develop gratitude and patience towards something other than themselves for which they are responsible. However, activities within prisons are not limited to horticulture and livestock but also include the production of ornamental plants, medicinal plants, winemaking, and brewing.
Despite regulations providing tax incentives for businesses that employ inmates, practical application is limited. Internal work activities are insufficient for all inmates and are often limited in duration, causing frustration. The technical conditions of the spaces for agricultural activities are not always adequate. Lastly, the low participation of prison staff in these projects limits the reintegrative potential of these activities, preventing positive empathetic and social relationships that could facilitate inmates’ reintegration into society.
