NCJ Number
72167
Journal
Rassegna di Studi Psichiatrici Volume: 66 Issue: 1 Dated: (1977) Pages: 161-209
Date Published
1977
Length
49 pages
Annotation
Traditional prisons, and those of Italy in particular, are criticized because they are repressive and cannot effect constructive change on those incarcerated. Theories of criminal behavior are traced, and attempts to introduce social work in Italian prisons are described.
Abstract
Delinquency is defined as a 'pathological moment in the relationship between an individual and society'; it can stem from various biological, familial, educational, and environmental factors. The article asserts that to judge a guilty person, one must be familiar with that person's history and environment. Reform of criminals is seen as impossible in prisons that deprive them of interpersonal relationships with the outside world. The origins of delinquency are traced in a literature review that covers bioanthropological theories, psychodynamic theories, and Durkheim's theory of anomie. Italy's prison system is described, including prison intake, work in prison, relations with the outside world, and return to society. Italian correctional institutions are seen as antiquated in their physical facilities and repressive in philosophy. Treatment programs for inmates are lacking, as are meaningful prison work and vocational training. The lack of postrelease programs for ex-offenders is seen as an important cause of recidivism. Alternatives to institutionalization and various forms of social work, with details from experience in the United States, France, and Belgium, are explored, including casework, group work, and group psychotherapy. Recent efforts at prison reform in Italy are supported. A bibliography of about 30 citations contains references to Italian and American criminal justice literature.