Interview in the criminal department of the jail “S.Vittore” in Milan

Ludovico D.

Gruppo della Trasgressione

Italian

English

Group of transgression – prison – special guests – private meetings – psychologist

Newspaper / Magazine article

Parents, Policy Makers, Teachers, Researchers, Young People, School Directors.

Not relevant

Since September 1997 in the criminal department of the jail in Milan a working group has been operating twice a week to think about transgression. Once a month this group invites some guests, doctors, jurists, journalists, religious people, artists and showmen to discuss topics previously analyzed in the private sessions.
The original group that consists of 15 prisoners under the supervision of Dott. Angelo Aparo, a psychologist of the department, found in April 2002 collaboration in a good work team composed by a group of students that usually works outside the environment. Since July 2002 the group of prisoners and students has been united under two main objectives:
- to think about various crimes that since adolescence people have been experiencing, trying to find out similarities and differences;
- to stimulate the society to pay attention to the prison environment in order to find in the world of prisoners and institutions an answer to personal questions.
Even if the type of communication among participants was not clear at the beginning, after some weeks the questions, ideas and plans became the same. During the series of meetings the common basis lies in the bullying phenomenon, and especially
- in the behavior of children and adolescents whose offence corresponds sometimes to the search for a new identity through challenge.
- in the destructive behavior of those who break laws causing harm to the self or to other people;
- in those infringements of laws related to arts, science, traditions, that reduce the effectiveness instead of enhancing creativity.
When the group reaches a good preparation level and self confidence in the reply and topic discussions, a meeting or a concert open to the public will be organized.

The choice to create a “Group of transgression” in a prison came out from the common assumption that transgression not only means breaking laws operated by those who make errors and commit crimes, but it refers to a deeper analysis of children’s behavior, of some aspects which are hidden but acceptable and of some others which are evil but fascinating. This reflection contributed to the creation of a working group between citizens and prisoners that is useful to understand each other and to abandon prejudices.

http://www. trasgressione.net/

don Milani