Almost as many inmates as Milan Opera, more than double the number of those in Rebibbia prison in Rome: the 92 prisoners under the 41 bis regime who will be housed in the maximum security unit soon to open in the Uta penitentiary are keeping residents of Capoterra, the closest town to the Ettore Scalas prison, awake at night . The numbers speak for themselves: apart from the Milan penitentiary with its 95 inmates, no prison in Italy will house more mafiosi, 'Ndrangheta members, or terrorists than Uta prison.
The island is now a cayenne, just as it once was when the worst criminals needed to be sent as far away as possible. The province of Cagliari is forced to deal with the consequences of the Ministry of Justice's decision. The prison is located in the Uta area, but is significantly closer to the town of Capoterra: this is why the imminent arrival of nearly one hundred special inmates is worrying municipal administrators and citizens .
Efisio De Muru, leader of the Democratic Party , raised the issue in the City Council: "The ministry's decision to transfer such a large number of prisoners under the 41 bis regime cannot help but worry us, given that mafiosi and terrorists will be arriving just a few kilometers from our homes . Once again, Sardinia, as in the past, is being considered a penal colony to confine the worst criminals . In this sense, Senator Marco Meloni, along with a Sicilian colleague, was right to call for a reform of the law that identifies the islands as the ideal places to confine special prisoners, as if the transportation problem could prevent the connection of criminal networks."
De Muru also emphasizes the proximity of the Ettore Scalas prison to the town of Capoterra: "I share the concerns of the mayor of Uta, Giacomo Porcu, but the prison is only 4 kilometers from the center of Capoterra, and this extreme proximity prevents us from sleeping soundly for several reasons . Not only because such a large number of special inmates will put a strain on Cagliari's prison police and judicial offices—which are not equipped to handle the number of incoming special inmates—but also because crime could infiltrate the local social and economic fabric, something that has already happened in other parts of Italy . Cagliari's Attorney General, Luigi Patronaggio, also commented on this transfer, explaining that Sardinia cannot be considered immune from the appetites of criminal organizations, and that the risk of infiltration into the local economy with 92 special inmates is high. The Capoterra municipal administration must also make its voice heard and convey the citizens' concerns. It is unacceptable that the government thinks it can solve prison security problems by dumping them on the island."