Dozens of prisoners back in jail within hours

[azathoth777]

Italy- An amnesty that freed more than 5,000 inmates from Italian jails backfired when dozens of the former prisoners reoffended and were back behind bars within hours.

The early release scheme, which cuts sentences by three years, was introduced to reduce overcrowding of the prison system which has more than 62,000 inmates 20,000 more than it can handle.

Although convictions for Mafia-related crimes, terrorism, rape, paedophilia and people-smuggling are exempt, more than 12,000 prisoners will be released in the next few weeks.

But within hours of jail doors being opened dozens of people re-offended. The most serious case was in Udine where plumber Piero Melis, 53, was released from an eight-month sentence for attacking his wife Carla only to be rearrested less than six hours later after allegedly trying to strangle her.

There have been dozens of similar incidents. In Sardinia, Massimiliano Formula, 32, and Raimondo Muntoni, 28, were arrested after getting drunk and smashing up a bar in Nouro.

Officers called to calm them were attacked before both were back in custody accused of assault, damage and resisting arrest.

In Genoa, Milan, Palermo, Rome and Trieste, former prisoners were involved in crimes ranging from assault, breaking and entering, attempted car theft and armed robbery. There were also fears that many foreign inmates released could have terror links.