Misure alternative al carcere e servizi sociali in affanno

The relationship between criminal policy and social policy constitutes a particularly relevant and contemporary issue for the social work profession. This is not only due to the increase in the number of service users following the introduction of restorative justice pathways, but also to the underutilization of various alternative forms of punishment. These measures are often perceived as a ‘benefit’ to be granted sparingly, owing to the widespread belief that a sanction is truly fulfilled only when served in prison. The modest progress in the implementation of alternatives to incarceration is paralleled by the introduction of new criminal offences, which continues to place an excessive burden on the penitentiary system.