"A context of great criticality". Domenico Arena, regional superintendent of the penitentiary administration who took office just over a month ago, spoke about the situation of Sardinian prisons at the conference promoted by the PSI in Sassari over the weekend. "Overcrowding also exists on the island, apparently less than in the rest of Italy, but in reality with major imbalances in the two institutions of Sassari and Cagliari. In general, however, it is the quality of detention that requires many interventions".

The opportunities, according to Arena, come from penal colonies "that allow us to imagine a regional detention circuit that carries out its mandate in full with respect to what the constitution provides". In addition, after much controversy on the matter, Sardinia has a director for each institute, thus giving greater stability to the system . "We must address", continues the superintendent, "the issue of safeguarding rights and that of behavioral treatments, of paths that enable detainees to know that there is hope and that there is the possibility of crossing growing spheres of autonomy for true social reintegration".

It is undeniable that for prisoners with dual diagnosis, suffering from psychiatric problems and drug addictions, there is a lack of solutions given their increasing number. " There will be a need for a powerful synergy with the Region and health, because it is a topic that cannot be left to a single administration ," concludes Arena.