Training and work for the 'inclusion. The Emilia Romagna region, green light from the council arrived in the last session, allocates over 4,5 million of euros of European resources ESF+ and ERDF for “A more inclusive justice”, a project dedicated to the socio-work inclusion of detainees, in the context of National plan for inclusion and fight against poverty 2021-2027 of the Ministry of Justice. Initiative involving a network of public and private partners of which the Region is the leader.

"Justice cannot be reduced to a mere instrument of punishment but must have the courage to believe in the change of people– comments theRegional Welfare Councillor, Isabella Conti-. A prison that does not prepare for a return to society is a prison that fails twice: with those who have made mistakes and with the community that it should protect. For this reason, investing in training and work is not an act of clemency, but of collective responsibility, of civilization. Giving those who have served their sentence a real opportunity means building a safer, more just society, more capable of seeing beyond mistakes."

"No one is saved alone, and this also applies to those who leave prison.– adds the councilor. IThe line between a new life and a relapse into error is thin and depends on the opportunities that institutions can offer. A roof, a job, a network of relationships: without these foundations, asking someone to start over is just an illusion. The Emilia-Romagna Region chooses to be there, to invest in reintegration, to take charge of a future that cannot be left to chance. 
Because true justice is not measured in time served, but in the ability to give back to society new people, capable of living in the world with dignity.".

The project, in detail

Two actions foreseen by the project “A more inclusive justice“, and for both the Emilia-Romagna Region is the leader: a which assigns 2.278.750 euros of Fse+ funds for the active inclusion of prisoners with the support and strengthening of activities in individual institutes, training, market research; the other which allocates 2.290.018 of ESF+ and ERDF resources for people leaving prison and in external penal execution, for accompaniment in the housing placement process, raising awareness among citizens through the promotion of community justice activities.

La first action intends to strengthen skills development and facilitate the entry into employment of prisoners, with the aim of promoting their integration and social reintegration, but also of reducing the phenomenon of recidivism.

Another aim is to implement and define new partnership strategies with companies to facilitate and enhance production activities within the institutions.In Emilia-Romagna there are 10 penitentiary institutions for adults, some of which already boast a multi-year presence of production laboratories in connection with local companies. 3.803 potential recipients of the project, that is, the prisoners present on 28 February 2025.

Seven lines of intervention: support for the start-up and/or strengthening of internal production activities in the individual institutions involved, identified in agreement with the management of the penitentiary institutions and with the Prap (Regional Office of Penitentiary Administration); transfer of good practices and identification of possible business models; involvement of experts to strengthen internal production activities; training activities; territorial promotion thanks to new partnership strategies with companies; market studies; communication actions and study of results.

La second action is aimed at adults leaving places of detention, in external penal execution or subjected to community sanctions, in charge of the External Penal Execution Offices. In Emilia-Romagna, as of 15 February 2025, they are a total of 6.224 followed and, therefore, potential recipients of the project.

The goal is to develop a integrated model of intervention on the territory thanks to which the recipients themselves are oriented and accompanied in a (re)educational path, providing them with work, training and housing opportunities and supporting them in the reintegration phase, access to assistance and orientation services.

Again they are seven lines of intervention: support measures for temporary residential accommodation; assistance and support activities for the housing placement process, which is part of community services; organization and management of community justice activities (for example workshops and meetings to promote the empowerment of the recipients); social and cultural animation also aimed at family members. And again, promotion and territorial awareness for the reception of people in public utility jobs; promotion and awareness of companies in the territory, so as to facilitate the scouting of new production realities; possible transfer of ERDF funds for the purchase of capital goods for community justice centers. 

Emilia-Romagna Region leads the way

La The Region will act as the lead partner of a partnership network composed of a plurality of public and private entities that will have to collaborate in the planning and implementation of the activitiesThe partnership may include theadhesion of Art-Er, a consortium company of the Region, as the body mainly responsible for technical-managerial assistance; Prap (Regional Office of Penitentiary Administration), Uiepe (Interdistrict Office for External Penal Enforcement) and Penitentiary institutions; private partners who have gained proven experience in the sector and possess the characteristics indicated in the Ministerial Notice.