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The Improvement of Human Rights in Prison Systems Study Case : Casa Circondariale di Roma Regina Coeli
Filippi, Sara Cristina Miranda
Filippi, Sara Cristina Miranda
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Abstract
The idea of this thesis was born almost one year ago, when on January 2nd, 2017 when56 inmates died1 as a result of rival factions inside at the Anísio Jobim PenitentiaryComplex (Compaj) in Manaus. However, a significant number of prisoners notinvolved in the gang system has also been killed, either by prisoners themselves or byauthorities with the intention to stop the uprising. One of the causes that influenced theease of the uprising and the difficulty in controlling it is the overcrowding of the prison.In fact, according to the UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime), “aftervisiting Brazil in 2015, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture has recommended theadoption of immediate measures to reduce the overcrowding of prison units, whichfavors the spread of infectious diseases such as Tuberculosis and HIV, malnutrition anddrug use among other human rights violations.”2Unfortunately, Brazil is not the only country that encounters issues about the conditionsof prisoners and their rights. In fact, according to the testimony of the InternationalCommittee of Red Cross (ICRC), “in very diverse environments and over many years,the ICRC has witnessed first-hand the consequences of overcrowding on detainees andon the authorities. Indeed, overcrowding is an increasingly widespread problem inseveral countries and places of detention.”3 Since it is a worldwide issue, it is importantto highlight the seriousness of overcrowding conditions and its consequences.This thesis will explore the Human Rights of prisoners. First, I would like to introducethis topic by analyzing the role of prison systems as a legal punishment within thesociety. In fact, it is important to remember that prisons are not separate from thesociety, they are actually part of it. Because of this, everything that is important withina society, it is also important inside of a prison system. For instance, healthcare andappropriate living conditions should be guaranteed to prisoners in the same level it isguaranteed in the rest of the society outside prisons. Moreover, it is common to linkprison system with corruption and abuse of power by authorities. Because of this, Iwould like to understand better the relationship between prisoners and authorities, inorder to have a clear explanation about the condition of prisoners in Italy.Precisely, I am interested on which kind of prevention measures an ideal prison systemshould take in order to guarantee prisoners’ health and safety. However, a keycomponent of the prison system are prison guards. Because of this, I will take inconsideration their condition of work and how it is important in order to have aneffective and efficient prison system. Most of the time prison guards are underpaid andoverworked. Unfortunately, inappropriate working conditions leads to destabilization.In fact, prison guards become more vulnerable to corruption in order to compensate forwhat they are not receiving from the State. Corruption have a key role in this kind ofenvironment in which authorities are underpaid by the government and the prisonersobtain power through it. For instance, events such violent riots raised by prisoners isone of the most dangerous aftermaths; police officers are involved in prison escapes,allowing prisoners to run away, or to provide weapons and information to criminalgroups.Throughout my thesis I would like to analyze the average human rights conditions inItalian prisons. More precisely, I will take the prison system of Regina Coeli in Romeas study case. It is the best-known prison in Rome, active since 1881 and it is allocatedin the center of the city in the borough of Trastevere. It is curious and unusual at thesame time to know that a prison system with currently 962 detainees is located in thecenter of Rome in one of the most visited boroughs of the city. I will analyze in depthhow the prison system of Regina Coeli could be used as an example for other prisons inthe Italian territory. The prison system has a hospital inside the building since 2013with two surgery rooms. Moreover, a significant number of social activities areinvolved within the prison system of Regina Coli, such as a library, music therapy,language courses, and cultural and sportive activities are available for the prisoners.Because of this, I would like to analyze the positive outcomes of the administration ofRegina Coeli, thanks to visits to the prison system with the support of educators andauthorities of the prison institute.
Description
Thesis (B.A. in International Affairs, Minor in Business Administration )--John Cabot University, Fall 2017.
Date
2017
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Keywords
Human rights, Prisons, Carceri giudiziarie Regina Coeli
Citation
Filippi, Sara Cristina Miranda. "The Improvement of Human Rights in Prison Systems Study Case : Casa Circondariale di Roma Regina Coeli". BA Thesis, John Cabot University, Rome, Italy. 2017.