Prison: Education, Science and Culture

The University of Milan (“La Statale”) organises and produces a number of scientific and cultural programmes in order to incentivise scientific research into issues of prison conditions, and to raise awareness on these issues in the community. These take place both within penal institutions as well as out in the community.

These activities - which fall within the scope of the programming contemplated under the Agreement with the Regional Procurement Office for the Department of Corrections (“PRAP”) - have, in recent years, included photography exhibitions, poetry competitions, theatrical performances, documentary screenings, roundtables, conferences, and presentations of books. These events have often included first-person participation of those detained or working in prisons.

Amongst the other programmes where the University of Milan is working on the issue of incarceration we would note:

• The dedicated section at BookCity Statale, the programme of events offered by the campus each year as part of the city-wide event dedicated to books and literature, curated by Stefano Simonetta. Launched in 2015, participants have included, amongst others: Stefano Anastasia, Pier Vittorio Buffa, Lucia Castellano, Marco Malvaldi, Carlo Mazzerbo, Valerio Onida, Giuliano Pisapia and Maurizio Torchio.
• The presentation of scientific and educational books at the Bollate jail's library, which the university produces in cooperation with the Mario Cuminetti association.
• The theatrical workshops at the Cesare Beccaria JDC are organized by Milan University faculty members Mariacristina Cavecchi and Margaret Rose, in cooperation with Giuseppe Scutellà from Teatro Puntozero. Interpreting contemporaneity through the lens of Shakespeare, the workshops produce shows and actions on stage that are written, performed and promoted by students, youth on restriction/probation and young actors from Teatro Puntozero.