Italy approves law to ease prison overcrowding

Italy's parliament has passed a new law designed to alleviate severe prison overcrowding by allowing thousands of inmates with drug or alcohol dependencies to serve their sentences at home while participating in rehabilitation programs. The country's prisons are operating at 140% capacity, one of the highest rates in the European Union, according to the prisoner rights group Antigona. Justice Minister Carlo Nordio indicated that the measure could apply to more than 10,000 prisoners struggling with drug addiction, and an additional 3,700 with alcohol problems could also benefit. However, Antigona has voiced concerns, suggesting the release will depend on multiple conditions and that the allocated funds might only support rehabilitation for fewer than 600 individuals. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hailed the law as a multi-faceted victory, aiming to reduce prison pressure and deter addiction-related crime. Her government had previously pledged to add 15,000 prison spaces, a goal yet to be met. The prison reform has become a politically sensitive issue for Meloni ahead of next year's elections, with the far-right opposition party Futuro Nazionale criticizing the government's approach to crime and immigration. Futuro Nazionale voted against the prison law.

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They’re going to get a beating.