Rehabilitative detention and building rehabilitation: an ‘open prison’ in the Industrial Archaeology Sicilian Heritage

Italy has the second-highest level of prison overcrowding in Europe. Since 2013 with the “Prisons plan”, the state has provided for the creation of additional prison accommodations, trying to reformulate the techniques of punishment. This new sensibility, springs by the so called “Torreggiani and others vs. Italy case”, in which Italy was condemned by the second section of the European Court on Human Rights in Strasbourg for violating article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Unfortunately, the emergence of Italian prisons has not been yet solved. So, it’s necessary to find new opportunities for ensuring a period of rehabilitative detention by the use of decentralized and urban low-impact areas. Starting from the acquired knowledge, it is developed a scientific research to propose an ‘open prison’, an institute designed as a community involved in agricultural activities.Sicily is rich of old buildings and stone wells, an integral element of the charming landscape, what remains of the industries that were the protagonists of the world economy for the last centuries. This kind of buildings may be a good opportunity to realize this new concept of prison, as it is verified in the work here presented. In particular, by assuming Grottacalda Mine, one of the most important sulphur production centre of the XIX century, as study case, it has been verified the relationship between the farm and the functional standards of the prison, such as the precautions for safety.