New experimental lab of pentitentiary forensics in Italy

Abstract

Research shows that while the number of crimes has declined, the number of prisoners has not, and citizens feel unsafe, vulnerable and do not trust policy makers nor institutions. It is therefore important to look at the gaps in a broader way, and to question our own responsibility in this process. If we look at the picture resulting from the problems of immigration flows, terrorism, crime prevention and control, etc. from a public institutional point of view, we can see that, despite its multidimensional face, there are no multidimensional responses, given the gaps between public institutions responsible for overcoming them. In addition, private and public actors are often conceived as going in opposite directions because of their apparent different interests.

As government agencies, we must create strong relationships between public and private actors, looking for the complementarity of objectives under the purview of the same values.

On a macro-level analysis, we would aim at recurring to technologies to diminish pre-trial detention, humanising the treatment of prisoners and giving them and society a different approach to Justice. Alongside this vision, a micro-level analysis is needed, engaging with designing new strategies and methods which contemplate the interactive co-presence of the newest technological security and social innovation tools.

It is against this backdrop that the Experimental Lab of Penitentiary Forensics (ELPeF) has been created.