R. Cornelli et al. (2026), The influence of delegitimization on prison officers’ readiness to use force
The article “The influence of delegitimization on prison officers’ readiness to use force”, by Roberto Cornelli, Chiara Chisari, Fabio Ferretti, and Oriana Binik, examines the factors shaping prison officers’ readiness to use force.
L. Squillace et al. (2025), Quality of relationships, interactions with leadership, and the use of force in the prison context. Findings from two surveys on prison officers
The study presents the results of two surveys conducted in the prisons of Lombardy, Piedmont, Liguria, and the Aosta Valley, examining the relationship between the quality of workplace interactions among Prison Police officers, perceptions of institutional delegitimization, and the readiness to use force.
Dynamics of Staff–Prisoner Relationships: A Narrative Literature Review
In the chapter “Dynamics of Staff–Prisoner Relationships: A Narrative Literature Review”, Milena Milićević critically examines how relationships between prison staff and prisoners shape prison life.
Transforming prison culture: supportive norms enhance prison officers’ well-being and prosociality toward detained people
The article “Transforming prison culture: supportive norms enhance prison officers’ well-being and prosociality toward detained people” examines how social norms within prison culture shape the psychological and professional well-being of correctional officers.
Prison police in crisis
In Italy today, prison police officers are experiencing what can be described as a crisis of professional identity.
Prisons Narratives and Dystopias: Presentation of Pietro Buffa’s book
The book of Pietro Buffa addresses the topic of prisons and the narratives that represent them, some of which significantly influence public opinion and political decision-makers.
The Use of Force and Its Limits in the Penitentiary Context
The research, funded through PSR grants by the University of Milan, aims to explore the challenges surrounding the use of force in the prison system by gathering the experiences and perspectives of prison staff.
PolPenEventiCritici-XXIII The prison police facing critical incidents
The PolPenEventiCritici-XXIII survey, titled “The Prison Police facing critical incidents”, analyzes some of the most significant issues raised in the previous two studies, PolPen XXI and PolPen XXII, using qualitative research methods. In particular, it delves into the experiences of preventing and managing critical incidents and their impact on the working conditions of prison officers.
POLPEN-XXII First survey on prison police in Piedmont, Liguria, and Valle d’Aosta
The PolPen-XXII survey is the second study conducted in Italy on prison police personnel. It examines the perceptions of this understudied professional category regarding key aspects of their work experience, emotional well-being, and the quality of workplace relationships. The survey explores themes such as institutional (de)legitimization, professional orientation, management of critical incidents, attitudes toward the use of force, and dynamic surveillance.
POLPEN-XXI First survey of prison police in Lombardy
The PolPen-XXI survey is the first study conducted in Italy on prison police personnel. It captures the perceptions of this understudied professional category regarding various aspects of their work experience, emotional well-being, and the quality of workplace relationships. The survey explores themes such as institutional (de)legitimization, professional orientation, management of critical incidents, attitudes toward the use of force, and the impact of the COVID-19 emergency.