Overview
- Antigone’s XXII report, presented Tuesday, counts 64,436 people in custody against 46,318 usable places, putting real crowding at 139.1%.
- Pressure is most acute in dozens of sites, with 73 prisons at or above 150% capacity and eight above 200%, including Lucca at 240% and Milan San Vittore at 210%.
- Daily life has tightened after new prison administration circulars limited movement and activities, leaving over 60% locked in cells most of the day and coinciding with more assaults on staff (+12.4%) and between detainees since 2021 (+73%).
- Safety indicators are flashing red, with at least 82 suicides in 2025 and 24 already in 2026, more than 2,000 self‑harm acts per 10,000 detainees, and 254 total deaths in 2025.
- The group cites longer sentences under tougher laws, fewer alternatives to custody in 2025 (probation cases down to 24,627 and new home detentions to 13,519), and a net loss of 537 usable places despite a government prison plan.