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Reflecting on and working with prisons
In the title of her book, prison is intertwined with the idea of an island: a separate, suspended place of isolation. Might this very sense of isolation help us to better understand the condition of those who are incarcerated? And why is it important, today, to continue reflecting on and working with prisons?
Yes, isolation—such as that caused by illness, hospitalisation, or forced separation from the social environment to which we are accustomed—can bring us somewhat closer to the experience of those who are imprisoned.
It is important to consider this—even if not for ethical reasons—because prison can affect anyone; it concerns us all, even if one thinks, ‘It cannot happen to me,’ much like accidents or cancer: life is unpredictable. And one can end up in prison even if innocent.
Human isolation
It was in this very place, ninety years ago, that an enterprise was founded which today provides employment to thousands of people worldwide. How important do you consider work to be in overcoming human isolation, both inside and outside prison?
In prison, work is the most important thing there is and the only thing that can truly make a difference. Access to training for a skilled job is the best opportunity a prisoner can have, as it can genuinely help them to regain dignity, purpose, identity, and real prospects for change upon release.
Outside prison, work is no less important; indeed, I cannot think of anything more beneficial to our lives.
Women and prison
Regarding female prisoners: in what way, in your opinion, does the prison experience differ for a woman? And what does this tell us today, more broadly, about how we address issues of violence, gender, and social vulnerability?
Women in prison are a distinct minority, comprising only 4 per cent of the incarcerated population. However, this also means that they have fewer therapeutic opportunities, less work, and fewer projects. Prison, both in terms of its regulations and in practice, is not designed for women, just as wider society is not.
Security
She has experienced prison both as an observer and as someone emotionally involved. Can prison be considered a safe environment? For those who live there, those who work there, and those who visit? And what might be done to improve conditions – not only physical but also psychological – within prisons?
Prison is not safe for either inmates or staff; it is an inherently violent environment. Too many things do not work: excessive overcrowding, numerous injustices, profound suffering, and widespread futility create a tension that affects everyone. It is not dangerous for those who visit, such as volunteers like myself. People from ‘outside’ are respected; I would say they are untouchable.
International comparison
In your experience, have you had the opportunity to observe or become closely acquainted with prison systems outside Italy? Are there particular experiences or models that have struck you?
I have been to the women’s prison in Tirana, Albania, and found it very similar to the women’s prison in Pozzuoli, which is now closed due to earthquake tremors. Even there, the women said that while men often have someone outside who cares for them – wives, sisters, mothers, friends – female prisoners are frequently repudiated or forgotten by their families.
