Justice from the middle ages to the 19th Century 
The 19th Century:
the development of the prison system
Notorious criminals of the 20th Century |
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Prison “warders”
Royal patents of 18 March 1817: Families
of Justice are established
On 18 March 1817 the Royal Secretary of State (Interior)
promulgates the Royal Patents approving the “Establishment
of Families of Justice and of prisons”, which was considered
the act creating prison warders who in the Kingdom of Italy
were known as guards.
Prisons are divided into seven classes, according to the
number of soldiers of justice employed therein.
Royal Decree 15 January 1851
Prison administration comes under the auspices of the Ministry
of the Interior and the figure of the General Superintendent
replaces those of Inspector and Vice-Inspector of the Families
of Justice.
1860-1862: Prison Reforms after the
Unification of Italy
Between 1860 and 1862 five regulations are passed regarding
the various types of prison, classified as follows: bagni
penali (penitentiaries) dependent on the Ministry of the
Navy and Custody (Royal Decree 19 September 1860); carceri
giudiziarie (prisons) (Royal Decree 4681 27 January 1861);
case penali (penitentiaries) (13 January 1862, 413) dependent
on the Ministry of the Interior; case di relegazione (institutions
of confinement) (28 August 1862, 813); case di custodia (institutions
of custody) (27 November 1862, 1018), administered by the
General Inspectorate of Prisons, dependent on the Ministry
of the Interior. The Royal Decree of 29 November 1866 transfers
the responsibility for the bagni penali from the Ministry
of the Navy to the Ministry of the Interior, as from 1 January
1866. Each of these regulations provides for the classification
of the prison staff.
1861: The Prison Administration is established
Royal Decree 255 of 9 October 1861 institutes the Prison Administration dependent on the Ministry of the Interior to replace the General Inspectorate of Prisons.
1869: Reorganization of the Prison Administration
The decree of 17 November 1869 replaces the previous divisions called Carceri Giudiziarie, Case Penali and Bagni Penali with departments organized according to the subject dealt with: VII – staff, VIII – economic and manufacturing service, IX – buildings, transport and miscellaneous matters. A cabinet office is especially established for dealing with confidential affairs.
1873: Regulations governing Prison Guards
Law 1404 (series 2) of 23 June 1873 establishes the “Reorganization of Prison Guards and Jails”. The Prison Guards Corps is unified and organized along military lines.
On the 23 July of that same year the “Regulations Governing the Prison Guards Corps” are issued, which establish the new posts of head guard, vice-head guard and guard, and introduce the term prison guard instead of warder.
The Establishment of the School for Prison Guards
The Regulations issued through Royal Decree 1510 of 27 July 1873 establish the first School for Prison Guards.
1890: Regulations governing the Prison Guards
Royal Decree 7011 of 6 July 1890 contains the regulations governing the prison guards of penitentiaries and government reformatories. Article 1 reads: The Guards Corps is instituted to watch over and guard the inmates of central, branch and district prisons; prisoners in closed and open prisons; and minors in government reformatories. In exceptional cases, prison guards may be assigned to the external surveillance of the above-mentioned institutions.
1891: The Reform of the Prison Regulations
As a result of loss of faith in the cell system and constant solitary confinement, because of the psychological damage these caused, the General Prison Regulations of 1 February 1891 adopt the Irish prison system, which provide four different periods of treatment.
The norms governing the prisoner’s daily life establish that on entering prison the detainee’s hair and beard should be cut, he should wear a uniform and should be called by his registration number. As far as discipline is concerned the rule of silence reigns, inmates are forbidden to talk amongst themselves or to visitors; to smoke tobacco or take snuff, except for those under investigation or those with a prison sentence that is of less than six months; to recite prayers out loud even during Mass; to lie on the bed fully dressed or to remain undressed during the day; and to lodge collective complaints. Visits, conversations, and correspondence are considered prizes to be awarded for good conduct.
The Regulations provide for a vast range of punishments: from being confined to an ordinary cell to solitary confinement in a punishment cell with bread and water for up to six months, and strait jacket and leg irons in a dark cell.
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