Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on July 16, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleItaly plans to release up to 10,000 inmates to ease prison overcrowding, focusing on non-violent offenders with less than 2 years left to serve.
ROME (Reuters) -Italy may release up to around 10,000 people from prison, or about 15% of the total population of inmates, to ease overcrowding, the Justice Ministry has announced.
Some 10,105 prisoners are "potentially eligible" for alternative measures to prison, such as house arrest or probation, the ministry said in a statement late on Tuesday.
The option would apply to people whose convictions are final and no longer subject to appeal, less than 2 years of sentences left to serve, and no serious disciplinary offences in the past 12 months.
People serving time for serious crimes such as terrorism, organized crime, rape, migrant trafficking and kidnapping would be excluded, the ministry added.
According to the World Prison Brief database, Italy has one of Europe's worst prison overcrowding records, with an occupancy level of around 122%.
Any level above 100% indicates that prisons are occupied above their maximum capacity. Only Cyprus, France and Turkey have higher scores in Europe, according to the database.
The plight of prisoners has attracted attention in Italy following a rise in suicides and complaints about soaring summer temperatures in detention facilities that are not air- conditioned.
However, the early release of prisoners is a politically sensitive move, and the Justice Ministry indicated that it would not happen overnight.
It said it had set up a taskforce to liaise with prisons and parole judges to facilitate decisions on individual cases, which will meet weekly and report on its work by September.
(Reporting by Alvise ArmelliniEditing by Frances Kerry)
Approximately 10,105 prisoners are potentially eligible for alternative measures to prison, such as house arrest or probation.
Inmates must have final convictions, less than 2 years left to serve, and no serious disciplinary offences in the past 12 months.
Inmates serving time for serious crimes such as terrorism, organized crime, rape, migrant trafficking, and kidnapping are excluded from early release.
Italy has an occupancy level of around 122%, indicating severe overcrowding, with only Cyprus, France, and Turkey having higher scores in Europe.
The Justice Ministry has set up a taskforce to liaise with prisons and parole judges, facilitating decisions on individual cases, with reports due by September.
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