“After such serious events, in these hours we are investigating to look for the escapees, but also to ascertain the responsibilities of what happened. At the same time, on our part, a policy to increase the staff has been in place for some time ”. This was stated by the head of the Dap, Bernardo Petralia, in reference to the latest escape from the Avellino prison of two inmates. “The Penitentiary Police, together with the other police forces, are making every effort to capture the escaped refugees. The Department of Penitentiary Administration has also launched an internal investigation to ascertain any responsibilities ".
Bernardo Petralia - who visited the Sulmona prison today - focuses in particular on the issue of staff: "Shortages are a problem of prisons, but the Ministry of Justice and the Dap have been committed for months to increase staff in service: an important investment in terms of human resources is underway, which will lead to reinforcements in prisons. A commitment for which new bankruptcy procedures have been launched and those already initiated are rapidly being completed, both in terms of the security sector and central functions and management. As for the competitions and hiring in the Penitentiary Police Corps - continues Petralia - they concern all professional roles ".
By the end of the summer, a total of 1.650 student agents will take up service in the institutes who are currently following the training courses. Another 1.479 aspiring agents will arrive from the competition that was launched last October and another one is expected to be launched for about 2.000 student agents during the year that has just begun. In addition, 691 inspectors, recent winners of competitions, were initiated for training and in November a call was launched to recruit 411 student deputy inspectors. Finally, the procedures relating to the competition for 120 student commissioner positions are underway.
As regards the personnel of the Central Functions, "just today - announces the Head of the DAP - the 63 winners of the competition for cultural mediator, a new and very important figure of operator in support of the foreign prison population, have chosen the service centers".
The bankruptcy procedures are still in progress which will lead to the hiring of 210 new pedagogical legal officers, 33 accountants and 85 IT assistants, while the one relating to the recruitment of 140 accounting officers has just started and, shortly, the competition will be launched. for 200 engineers. Finally, another big push will come from the implementation of procedures for the retraining of personnel, from economic progressions and from the rulings.
Along with the hiring of new staff, investments were planned to improve barracks, kitchens and canteens for the staff of the Penitentiary Police and another fund was dedicated to psychological support for the staff. “We are making every effort - assures Petralia - to improve the conditions of those who work in prison”.