5th May 2011
San Patrignano is a community-based drug rehabilitation programme just outside of Rimini, Italy. It hosts people convicted of drug-related crimes, giving them the opportunity to follow a rehabilitation and recovery programme instead of jail time. The project is designed to give drug users new self-respect in the form of skills, taught in a safe, nurturing and closed environment. There are 57 trades to choose from, including horse training, plumbing and graphic design, as well as farming, wine production and baking. All are taught by experts in their fields.
The residents pay nothing for their four-year stay in the community. San Patrignano does not receive any government funding, instead the money comes half from private donations and half from the sale of the cheese, furniture, pedigree puppies and countless other goods and services that residents provide. Relatives of residents are barred from contributing financially.
Since 1980, almost 3,500 years of jail time have been replaced with a programme of complete, drug free recovery, saving the State more than 136 billion lira. Unfortunately there are still over 15,000 drug addicts who are denied the right to choose an alternative to jail time for lack of facilities similar to San Patrignano. For this reason, San Patrignano recognises that they still need to expand its facilities.
San Patrignano maintains strong ties with the local community, an area into which everyone who completes the programme must eventually be reintegrated. Dozens of sporting, social and cultural events take place each year, including national and international horse shows. A conference on drug addiction and related problems is also held once a year, and is attended by experts from all over the world. San Patrignano believe that the success of these events is an incentive for the people who are on their way to full recovery from drug addiction inside the community. They provide tangible proof of the capabilities and potential of these young people.
In more practical terms, the community also provides legal assistance to the residents. The legal offices oversee each residents' legal issues from the day they arrive. Often there are several criminal and civil cases pending, as well as child custody hearings which involve the social services. San Patrignano maintains contact with all pertinent authorities, including the court system, social services and the police force.
San Patrignano strongly believe that every charitable organisation has a duty to demonstrate the success of its work. The effectiveness of the programmes have been periodically evaluated, through transparent collaboration with universities and third parties. These studies, carried out by the Universities of Bologna, Urbino and Pavia, have periodically tested former residents of the community at least three years after the conclusion of their educational programme. The results of this research show that over 70% of community residents are fully reintegrated into society and remain drug-free.
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Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.