Pandemic and right to university study in prison

Abstract

The article n°34 of the Italian Constitution establishes that the school is open to all, without any reference to the personal conditions of the student that can be deprived of his freedom. This right to education is inviolable. The education is an essential element to reach the re-educational function of the sentence. The article n°17 of the Norms for the Penitentiary System establishes the important role of the in the external community and of private and public subjects to help in re-educating
and re-socializing prisoners. In normal conditions there are often contradictions between the principle and the reality of prison condition so in a condition of crisis such as the covid-19 pandemic there is a high risk to break important achievements in this part. Our article starts from thoughts on the right to study in prison and on the history of Criminology’s attention to the treatment of the offender and from studies on the sector of sentence execution. Then our article presents the results of surveys carried out by the National Conference of Delegates of Rectors for the Prison University Centers at the prison facilities where they are established, during the Coronavirus Pandemic.