In prison from Poggioreale, however, there is no specific joint for prisoners with problems mental health. Yet the annual report of the regional prison supervisor shows that every year, hundreds of prisoners involved in psychological paths or followed, before incarceration, by mental health services pass through or remain in prison. As in the case of Mariano Cannio, under treatment, according to the testimony he provided to the investigators, at the center of Santa Maria Antesaecula and now at the center of a judicial and media case due to a terrible crime, the death of a child. Judicial case, because there are ongoing investigations and an attempt is made to trace the motive for the murder, and media case, because the clamor created around the tragedy made not only Cannio but also the victim’s family and residents in the tragedy area feel crushed who have come to ask “out of pity” to stop with photos and videos.
The regional supervisor for prisoners Samuele Ciambriello Talks about “Criminal and political populism” while acknowledging the absolute gravity of a crime such as murder. The supervisor is familiar with the tragedies and critical issues of the prison world, especially when dealing with the issue of mental health. «In all the prisons of the Campania – he says – there are dozens and dozens of inmates we know later that they were being treated in mental health departments. But not all prisons have branches dedicated to mental health ». And here the short circuit, the criticality, the drama is just around the corner. Let’s think about Poggioreale, the largest city prison. The guarantor’s annual report shows that in 2020 it hosted 170 inmates involved in psychological paths and 168 inmates who were being treated in a mental health center before detention, but has just 12 psychologists in the staff of the penitentiary. There is an obvious disproportion in the numbers.
In Campaniamoreover, there is one for each province of prisons with a structure specially equipped for the management of prisoners with psychiatric pathologies: prison from Secondigliano, that of Santa Maria Capua Vetere, that of Benevento, e Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi e Salerno. Five in all, out of a total of fifteen penitentiary facilities in the region and a detained population of 6,432 as of August 31st. And to think that according to the most recent statistics i mental disorders and anxiety syndromes in prison have increased. In the latest report drawn up by the Campania supervisor on the state of regional prisons, it is emphasized that 4% of inmates are affected by psychotic disorders, against 1% of the general population, and that depression affects 10% of inmates, while 65 % live with a personality disorder. In 2020moreover, the percentage of psychotropic drugs administered to inmates has increased and represents 43% of the overall use of drugs.
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