Investigation into violence and torture against young people at the Casal del Marmo juvenile detention centre in Rome

Translated by Mariateresa Tauro 

In Italy, the crime of torture was introduced into the Criminal Code by Law No 110 of 2017, together with the crime of incitement to torture, in Title XII – Offences against the person, Section III – Offences against moral freedom, Articles 613-bis and 613-ter respectively. The parliamentary process has been tortuous, with several attempts at reform – both to abolish and to strengthen the system – in the years that followed.

The penalty for the offence of torture is imprisonment for a term of between 4 and 10 years for

“any person who, through violence or serious threats, or by acting with cruelty, causes acute physical suffering or verifiable psychological trauma to a person deprived of their personal liberty or entrusted to their custody, authority, supervision, control, care or assistance, or who is in a vulnerable state, if the act is committed through multiple acts or if it involves treatment that is inhuman and degrading to the dignity of the person” (see full text).

If such acts of violence are committed by a public official or a person entrusted with a public service, thereby constituting an abuse of power, the penalty is increased to a prison term of between 5 and 12 years. Both penalties are further increased if the offence results in minor, serious or very serious bodily harm; they rise to 30 years’ imprisonment or life imprisonment in the event of death, which is unintentional in the first case and intentional in the second.

Last week, the issue of torture and violence in juvenile detention centres was raised once again, particularly at the Casal del Marmo juvenile detention centre in Rome. The Rome Public Prosecutor’s Office is currently investigating allegations of violence that took place between February and November last year, allegedly committed by ten prison officers against thirteen young detainees who, at the time of the incidents, were aged between 15 and 19. The officers have been placed under investigation: the charges include torture, causing bodily harm and forgery.

The investigation was launched following a complaint by the Antigone association, which, last spring, had gathered evidence of possible offences. In July, it filed a formal complaint with the Public Prosecutor’s Office and alerted the administrative authorities, citing testimonies gathered not only from young detainees but also from several prison staff. Next week, the victims will give evidence before a judge during preliminary hearings. So far, the investigation suggests that the incidents took place at night, in areas not covered by CCTV cameras. Reports mention acts of violence such as beatings, slaps and punches, as well as attacks using objects such as chairs, sticks or fire extinguishers. The prisoners’ medical reports describe bruising on the ribs, bruises on the chest or eye injuries that could be consistent with the violence reported. The young people say they have received repeated threats (“I’ll run you upstairs and turn you into minced meat”, according to the investigation documents), and speak of officers who were drunk or on drugs.

Antigone has announced that it will bring a civil action in the proceedings, as it did in the case of the Beccaria juvenile detention centre in Milan: that investigation began in April 2024 with the arrest of 13 prison officers and the suspension of a further 8, for incidents that had took place between November 2022 and March 2024, reported by the Milan City Council’s Ombudsman for the Rights of Persons Deprived of Liberty, together with some staff members of the institution. Through wiretaps and the analysis of CCTV footage, the investigation was expanded and, by August 2025, a further 42 people – including prison officers and healthcare staff – were under investigation, along with three other current and former prison governors. In this case, the timeframe has been extended to April 2021, and the number of young people identified as victims has risen from 8 to 33. They have testified to unprecedented and systematic violence, beatings, humiliation, genital injuries, an attempted sexual assault and the widespread use of drugs; widespread institutional involvement has come to light.

Patrizio Gonnella, president of Antigone, in a reflection on this second ‘Roman case’ of violence, argues for the need for an organisational overhaul in the juvenile justice system, calling, for example, for juvenile detention centres to be managed by civil officials rather than police forces. This view is reinforced by the completely opposite direction taken by the Ministry of Justice, with its recent, highly anti-educational decision to require police officers at the centre to wear uniforms. Gonnella reflects on the need to open up the youth justice system – which is clearly in crisis – to the outside world and to restore its social dignity. Within the next few months, in collaboration with the organisations Defence for Children and Libera, Antigone will be putting forward some proposals for changes and organising open forums where professionals in the sector can discuss violence, racism, uniforms, discipline and life in juvenile detention centres.

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