Crisis in Sicilian Prisons: Overcrowding and Understaffing Lead to a Harsh Reality

 After the unsettling incidents in Trapani, attention has been drawn once again to the dire conditions of Sicilian penitentiaries.

Sicilian prisons are in a state of collapse: 23 facilities, many in disrepair, are currently housing 7,073 inmates, exceeding their capacity of 6,518. Cells are often cramped, sometimes lacking light and water, and can house up to 18 individuals. This situation is exacerbated by a shortage of 584 officers from a supposed complement of 4,195, leaving staff overwhelmed in managing the inmate population.

The prosecutor of Trapani, Gabriele Paci, did not mince words when he linked the violent events at Pietro Cerulli prison to the precarious conditions of the penitentiaries.

Ivan Domenico Lauria, a 29-year-old from Giostra (Messina), spent a significant amount of time in Trapani’s Blue Section and became one of the many victims of the Italian penitentiary system. Lauria, who had repeatedly spoken about his torment and attempts at suicide, passed away recently at the Catanzaro penitentiary where he was transferred without prior notice. Imprisoned for drug-related offenses, theft, and robbery, Lauria was in Trapani to serve a combined sentence. In June 2023, during a meeting with representatives from the association "Hands Off Cain," he confessed to being in a constant state of distress, mentioning daily attempts to harm himself due to feeling abandoned and unheard.

Confined to cell number 7, Lauria had accumulated numerous self-harm reports and signs of psychological distress. Despite being under mandatory health treatment (TSO), he reported not receiving adequate medication to alleviate his suffering. After his abrupt transfer from Trapani to Catanzaro, Lauria died on November 15 under still unclear circumstances. His family, uninformed about the transfer, only learned of his death after receiving the official notification. The cause of death was attributed to cardiac arrest, but the family disputes the official explanation and is awaiting answers from ongoing investigations.

Among the many violent incidents that have shaken Pietro Cerulli prison in Trapani, one particularly emblematic case involves a Romanian inmate. After enduring systematic abuse during his incarceration, the victim attempted suicide once released. Investigations have revealed that the inmate was repeatedly humiliated and subjected to degrading treatment in the notorious Blue Section, known for violence against the most vulnerable. Among the severe incidents, he recounted being beaten and mocked for his condition, with officers using racist and demeaning terms to describe him.

One of the most shocking abuses included throwing liquids at the victim and using physical force to subdue him. The beatings and humiliations left deep marks, not only physically but also psychologically, to the extent that the man attempted to take his own life after his release, confirming the trauma endured during his detention.

Investigations also uncovered a system of "exemplary punishments" enacted by a group of penitentiary officers, who exploited inmates' vulnerabilities to exert arbitrary and often abusive control. This incident, like many others revealed by the inquiry, highlights a penitentiary management in desperate need of deep reform and enhanced protection of human rights.