Recovery Month offers an opportunity to look at both the work being done to support recovery and the policies and systems that shape access to treatment, rehabilitation and long-term recovery support. As part of this month’s focus, WFAD would like to highlight a recent policy development from Italy, where new legislation has introduced a therapeutic alternative to conventional prison detention for some people with drug or alcohol dependence.

What has changed in Italy?

On 29 July 2026, the Italian Lower House gave final approval to legislation allowing eligible people with drug or alcohol dependence who are serving prison sentences to serve their sentence under home detention, provided they participate in a rehabilitation programme.

According to ANSA, Italy’s national news agency, the option is available to people serving sentences of up to eight years. Italy’s Justice Minister, Carlo Nordio, said that at least 10,000 people with drug or alcohol dependence could potentially benefit from the new measure.

Nordio presented the reform as an important step towards recognising that people with drug dependence who have committed offences also have treatment needs, and that treatment and rehabilitation can form part of the response alongside criminal justice measures.

The law passed with 153 votes in favour, 42 against and 82 abstentions. The governing coalition voted in favour, while most opposition parties abstained. According to ANSA, these parties generally agreed with the legislation in principle but raised concerns, including whether sufficient funding would be available for rehabilitation programmes.

The development in Italy raises a broader question relevant to Recovery Month: when substance use disorders and involvement with the criminal justice system intersect, what role can treatment and recovery support play in the response?

The World Health Organization and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime have developed guidance on treatment and care for people with drug use disorders in contact with the criminal justice system. Their guidance considers circumstances in which treatment may form part of alternatives to conviction or punishment and highlights the importance of cooperation between health and justice systems.

The European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) also highlights continuity of care as an important principle for people with substance use disorders moving between prison and community settings. This includes continuity between community and prison services both on entry to prison and following release.

Italy’s new legislation provides one example of how treatment and rehabilitation can be incorporated into criminal justice responses for people with drug or alcohol dependence.

During Recovery Month, developments such as this provide an opportunity to reflect on the role that treatment, recovery support and wider systems can play in creating meaningful pathways towards recovery.

WFAD thanks our member Monica Barzanti for bringing this policy development to our attention and for sharing information and resources that helped inform this update.

References:

• ANSA. (2026). Law to enable addicts to serve jail terms under house arrest approved (2). Retrieved from https://www.ansa.it/english/newswire/english_service/2026/07/29/law-to-enable-addicts-to-serve-jail-terms-under-house-arrest-approved_71dd1927-8730-4aa1-b724-a869b497cce7.html
• World Health Organization and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2018). Treatment and care for people with drug use disorders in contact with the criminal justice system: Alternatives to conviction or punishment. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/treatment-and-care-for-people-with-drug-use-disorders-in-contact-with-the-criminal-justice-system-alternatives-to-conviction-or-punishment
• European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). (2026). Prisons and drugs: health and social responses. Retrieved from:
• https://www.euda.europa.eu/publications/mini-guides/prisons-and-drugs-health-and-social-responses_en