EDUCATION IN THE ITALIAN PRISON OF MARSALA Italian Ministery of Justice Marsala Prison

1. EDUCATION IN THE ITALIAN PRISON OF MARSALA ItalianMinisteryofJustice Marsala Prison Dr Lilli Castiglione Office manager education

2. The prison   The prisonissmall. Wehave a maximumof 50 prisoners at onetime. The prisoners are adultmenofallages. Mostof the prisoners are fromoutside the E.U., principallyfrom Tunisia, and Marocco and most are, or havebeendrugaddicts. The prisonholdsprisonerswhohavebeengivensentencesof up tofiveyears and thoseawaiting trial.

3. WORKERS People workingwithinourprison include educators, psycologists, social workers, voluntaryworkers, priests, the prisonguardswhoconstantlyobserve the prisoners, in orderto pass on information aboutthemto the surveillance court.

4. THE SURVEILLANCE MAGISTRACY • In Italy, the SurveillanceMagistracy (Magistratura di Sorveglianza) is a distinctbranchof the Italianjudiciary, with a specializedcompetenceover the supervision ofdetainees and prisons. Ithas the task ofsupervising the enforcementofsentences, ofapplying alternative measurestoimprisonment, ofcarrying out alternative sanctions and ofapplying and enforcing security measures. • The information givento the surveillancemagistracyallows the latterto decide if a prisoner can begrantedpermissiontoleave the prisonfor work or educationpurposes. 

5. The Italianre-education treatment law (n. 354 of 26 July 1975) providesfor the followingprovisions: • Academiceducation • Work • Religion • Sports , cultural and recreationalactivities • Contactwith the outside world • Maintenanceof family relationships

6. IN MY PRISON

7. Addressingilliteracy As mostof the prisoners are fromoutside the E.U. , thereis a high levelofilliteracyamongst the prisonpopulation. Toaddressthisproblemweofferelementaryliteracycourseswithin the prison. The prisonershavelessons 3 hours a daytolearntoread and write in Italian. At the end of the course, the prisoner can chooseto take the elementaryschoolexam or even the middle schoolItalian state exam.

8. Poetryreadings • Weorganizepoetryreadingsforourprisoners. Weinvitelocalpoetsto come to the prisontoreadtheirpoemsto the prisoners and thenwehave a groupdiscussionabout the themesof the poemswhichhavebeenread.

10. WORK WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE PRISON Within the prison, detainees can choosefrom the followingjobs: • Cook • Cleaner • Maintenance man Some detainees are permittedto do manual work outside the prison, forexample on farms.

11. A sports and recreation Wehave a gym and table football facilities the detainees love playingtable football

12. Addressingdrugproblems In addition ,due to the largenumberofdrugaddicts, weoffergroupsessionswithpsychologiststo help the prisonerswiththeirdrugproblems.

13. Progetto legalita’ • Another project within the prisonis the "progetto legalità" or legality project. Thisinvolves high schoolstudentsvisiting the prison and meeting prisoners in a group situation todiscuss and debate the themeoflegality.

14. Fundraising and presentsforprisoners’children • Last christmasvolunteerscametoteachourprisonerstomakecraftobjectssuchasjewellery, Christmas decorationsetcwhichwerethen sold in a market and givenaspresentsto the prisonerschildren. • I amgoingto show you a video of the prisonersdoingthisactivity:

16. Fundraising and presentsforprisoners' children • Last Christmas volunteerscametoteachourprisonerstomakecraftobjectssuchasjewellery, Christmas decorationsetcwhichwerethen sold in a market and givenaspresentsto the prisonerschildren.

26. Thankyou