L'(in)sostenibilità del carcere. Il penitenziario italiano sotto la lente dell'Agenda 2030

Can prisons be reconfigured as sustainable articulations of the justice system in the XXI century? Notions such as Sustainability and Sustainable Development (SD) have increasingly entered political and social agendas worldwide and have progressively been adopted by a growing number of public administrations and services. Nevertheless, adopting Sustainability’s principles within the public justice system turns out to be a rather difficult task both theoretically and operationally. This article explores the Italian context, arguing that neither the justice nor the prisons’ systems genuinely embodied Sustainability’s principles. The analysis suggests a structural misalignment with all aspects of SD (environmental, economic, social and institutional) highlighting that integrating Sustainability with justice system requires a rethinking of the prisons’ role in favor of restorative and welfare-based alternatives.