Italy's overcrowded prisons face 50°C heat in hottest summer in 75 years

September 27, 2026 at 05:00 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Italy's prisons held 64,741 inmates on July 28, 2026, against 46,343 usable places, an occupancy rate of 139.7%. The overcrowding coincided with the country's hottest summer in 75 years, with cell temperatures exceeding 40°C and reaching 50°C in Taranto. Inmates in Rome's Rebibbia and Sassari's Bancali prisons moved mattresses to the floor to escape the heat.

Key Facts

On July 28, 2026, Italian prisons held 64,741 inmates against 46,343 usable places, an occupancy rate of 139.7%.
Lucca prison reached 256.8% occupancy, San Vittore in Milan 223.6%, and Latina 220.8%.
Temperatures inside cells regularly exceeded 40°C, and the Taranto prison recorded 50°C or more from June, according to the SAPPE union.
Around 40% of Italian prisons were built between 1980 and 1999, and more than 60% of inmates are held under a closed regime.

Overcrowding Crisis

Italy's prison population reached 64,741 on July 28, 2026, while the system had only 46,343 effectively usable places. The resulting 139.7% occupancy rate was the highest since 2013, the year the European Court of Human Rights condemned Italy for inhuman and degrading prison conditions. Regional disparities were stark: Lucca prison operated at 256.8% capacity, San Vittore in Milan at 223.6%, and Latina at 220.8%. Apulia was the most overcrowded region at 180.4%, with Taranto prison holding 852 inmates in a facility designed for 430.

Extreme Heat Conditions

The overcrowding coincided with Italy's hottest summer in 75 years, according to monitoring organization Antigone. Cell temperatures regularly exceeded 40°C, and many facilities lacked air conditioning, sufficient fans, or adequate ventilation. Around 40% of prisons were built between 1980 and 1999, and concrete structures absorbed heat during the day and released it for hours after sunset. In Taranto, the SAPPE union reported temperatures of 50°C or more from June in some areas.

Inmate Conditions

Inmates in Rebibbia prison in Rome and Bancali prison in Sassari moved mattresses to the floor because the concrete was cooler than the bunks. In Rebibbia's women's module, five inmates shared rooms designed for three, and in other prisons partially blocked windows further restricted air circulation. More than 60% of Italy's prison population was held under a closed regime, spending most of the day inside their cells.