Rome at Work: From Prison to Business – Inclusion and Incentives for Detainee Employment
Rome, February 17, 2026 – Rome Capital today unveiled a new initiative, “Rome at Work – From Confinement to Inclusion: Beyond Barriers,” designed to foster social inclusion by connecting training, business, and employment opportunities for detainees and ex-detainees. The project, promoted by the Capitoline Department for School, Training, and Labor, in collaboration with the Office of the Guarantor of the Rights of Persons Deprived of Liberty and Hrc Community, was presented this morning in the Campidoglio.
A Bridge Between Confinement and Society
The event, open to the public and specifically targeting businesses and cooperatives, aims to highlight the tools implemented by the administration to facilitate the employment of individuals at risk of social exclusion. A key focus was placed on the national regulatory framework, particularly the so-called Smuraglia Law, which offers tax incentives to companies that hire incarcerated or formerly incarcerated individuals.
Data, Discussion, and Testimonials
The morning session, held in the Sala della Protomoteca in the Campidoglio, commenced at 9:30 AM. It included a dedicated segment on the sentiment of companies regarding inclusion pathways, presenting new data on the obstacles, levers, and organizational conditions necessary to sustain employment integration. This was followed by direct testimonies from both detainees and companies and cooperatives that have successfully implemented these virtuous practices within the territory.
Labor as a Lever for Social Justice
Claudia Pratelli, Capitoline Councillor for School, Training, and Labor, emphasized the importance of the initiative. “This is one of the initiatives we are promoting across the board in the conviction that there is a need for protagonism and concreteness on the part of institutions. Work is not just an opportunity, but a lever for social justice. Addressing the employment integration pathways of detainees and ex-detainees means breaking the cycle of exclusion to restore future, dignity, and security to the entire community,” Pratelli stated. She added, “Today we have done this by providing potential employers with operational and useful tools to understand the system and take advantage of existing opportunities. Because inclusion is not a cost, but an investment in the common good.”
Creating Opportunities and Reducing Overcrowding
Valentina Calderone, Guarantor of the Rights of Persons Deprived of Liberty of Rome Capital, further elaborated on the project’s significance. “This meeting is just one of many pieces that represent the meaning of the path we have been building for three years. The protocol with the Department of Penitentiary Administration on training, the pilot project with Ama, and future investments in professional training courses are all part of a broad project that aims to increasingly involve the city’s productive fabric and connect it with people living inside our penitentiary institutions,” Calderone explained. She concluded, “A bridge between the inside and the outside, which through concrete training and work opportunities acquires even more meaning, at a time when overcrowding and suffering within prisons have become intolerable.”
This comprehensive program signifies Rome’s commitment to creating a more inclusive society by offering tangible pathways for rehabilitation and reintegration, ultimately benefiting both individuals and the wider community.
