From 434 to 630 inmates at the Bancali prison in Sassari. This is the increase in the prison population, both men and women, observed by the municipal ombudsman for persons deprived of their liberty, Anna Cherchi, since she began her role in February 2025.
This exponential growth was highlighted yesterday at a hearing at Palazzo Ducale, before the Fifth Commission chaired by Vannina Masia. Overcrowding is one of the facility's major critical issues, along with the healthcare situation. "We have uncovered shifts," Cherchi explains, "and yet we need a doctor 24/7, including holidays." This is also because, in emergencies, the inmate is taken to the emergency room and, to accompany them, at least three prison officers are sent, thus removing them from the facility's security.
"Then I'm concerned about the structural issue," he adds. "The prison has leaks, dilapidated toilets, and a lack of heating in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. In recent months, the situation has been unsustainable." And the concentration of people in prison compounds any problems, especially because in Bancali "there's a world."
And in this microcosm, people with mental illnesses abound: "There are no statistics on their number, but they are numerous." Too many young people have also ended up in facilities, 18- and 19-year-olds, convicted of drug-related crimes, theft, and assault. If we add non-EU inmates, at least 30% of the total, and those serving long sentences, in addition to those under the 41-bis regime, a complex and difficult-to-manage ecosystem emerges.
"For example, a psychologist has 120 patients under his care and, with a similar amount of money, sees his clients every two months." Working under these conditions requires a constant exercise of patience and hope, which nevertheless manages to offer experiences that also prepare for the "afterward," such as school, university, or, among others, sound engineering courses. "Then there are entrepreneurs who are helping people place them on semi-release," the guarantor reminds us.
Bancali also offers a sporting dimension, and soon, a four-team soccer tournament will be held, featuring six teams, 120 registered players, and featuring professional coaches. This represents a sign of relaxation for people often stigmatized and condemned, even on social media. "Before talking about it," Anna Cherchi concludes, "you have to go inside a prison. Everyone in there has a past and is not an orphan or anyone's child, but has a family." The invitation, then, is not to judge.
