Submitted by Dayana Lara on the 2023 summer session program in Volterra, Italy…
Today as a class we visited the prison in Volterra called Fortezza Medicea. I was very excited yet intimidated when I was reminded of our visit while looking at the class schedule. This is because I have never been inside a prison prior to this so I was curious about what it would be like and was also interested to hear about how the prison functioned versus how it functioned when it was first built and operated as a prison. Once we were inside the prison we met with the warden who explained to us the history of the prison and the infrastructure of the building which was very interesting to learn about. The prison staff explained to us that in the history of Fortezza Medicea there was only one woman prisoner and she was sentenced for having an affair. Although this was unfortunate to hear that someone was sentenced so harshly for having an affair I did not find it surprising for the time period of the event as women have historically been disadvantaged and oppressed. The staff also explained to us that in the prison, there used to be what was considered a VIP prisoner. I was curious about what made someone a VIP prisoner and if there were any in the prison today. I wondered about this because I was under the assumption that every person would be treated equally in prison despite their crimes or sentences. I asked the staff and they explained that a VIP prisoner was one who was allowed to enjoy certain privileges not permitted by the prison rules and regulations. They also stated that today there were no VIP prisoners. Touring the prison was very eye opening as I learned that they operate very differently in Italy versus how they operate in America. For example, Fortezza Medicea focused on rehabilitation rather than in punishment and they intended for the prisoners to be integrated into society and work in Volterra as cooks, waiters, cleaners. There are also art classes, theater and sculpture classes and cooking classes offered to prisoners. This is something that I rarely hear about in prisoners in America and I believe that this is a more helpful approach and I wish that the United States had a similar approach. At the prison we also encountered dogs outside and we learned that they were therapy dogs. I found this very important as a Human Services major who hopes to go into therapy or social work after graduation. I strongly believe in the benefits of therapy and getting accurate help to resolve inner turmoil and help treat mental health conditions and I believe that this could prevent future involvement in crime. This made me think about the people who are in charge of prisons in the United States and how they could move towards a prison system that values rehabilitation more. I was truly impressed by the leadership in Fortezza Medicea and their values and I hope to visit a prison in the United States to better compare them. (Submitted on June 14, 2023)