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Italy Travel: Naples Hires Ex-Convicts as Tour Guides

by Scott Wu | August 7, 2009 at 10:40 am

211 views | 22 Recommendations | 5 comments

In Southern Italy, the city of Naples started to hire ex-convicts as tour guides. The program, "Esco-Dentro" or Exit-Inside, was launched to help ex-cons reintegrate into the society and decrease the crime rate. Ex-convicts were given jobs in public service, and the most controversial task was tourist guides. Besides handing out brochures, they can also point you to the best pizza place and how to avoid pickpocketing.

“The biggest financial enterprises in southern Italy are the mafia, the Camorra and the ‘Ndrangheta,” said Naples Councilman Corrado Gabriele, who oversees Esco-Dentro. “You don’t need to read Roberto Saviano’s great book to know that,” he said, citing “Gomorrah,” the internationally acclaimed book on the Neapolitan mafia.

Gabriele, who oversees the project, attempts to chip away the workforce of organized crime by finding ex-convicts proper jobs. His approach was met with hostility. He has received threats from the infamous Camorra mafia, and also criticisms from political opponents.

The level of distrust from politicians and law enforcement officers are deeply entrenched. A worker was taken to police station because he was issued a jaywalking ticket, which Gabriele remarked, "the first jaywalking fine issued in Naples in 200 years." Ex-convicts feel that they are still seen as outsiders even after they have paid their debt in prison.

One worker, Massimiliano Di Caprio, has two daughters and said he just wanted to make an honest living. “Tourists are in good hands, but politicians don’t really care about helping us,” he said. Others grumbled that in Italy lawmakers had just as much of a reason to be in jail as they had.

Ex-convict tourist guides will have a even harder time if a single case of foul play is reported. Anyone been to Naples recently?

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sara star

at 11:45 on August 7th, 2009

Who better to teach the tourists how to avoid being a victim? They have paid their dues, and deserve a second chance.

Pythiian1

at 14:09 on August 7th, 2009

Interesting and innovative project, good luck to the organizer.

Jennings David L

at 07:59 on August 8th, 2009

This is a good way to get people who have made mistakes get back into society. I applaud the concept. If there are no jobs or way for ex-cons to become productive then their choices for success are limited.

Scott Wu

at 23:00 on August 8th, 2009

I do worry that if one person in the program does something bad, the whole program would be in jeopardy (actually it already is I think).

JamesM from My Travel Directory (not verified)

at 02:44 on August 14th, 2009

I think "sara star" makes a good point, but having visited some pretty rogueish destinations in my time I've got to say that if given the choice I'd rather have a non-convict as a guide! It only takes a single person to be desperate enough to re-offend and tourist faith in their guides will go out of the window.

While I firmly believe in rehabilitation I also think that there should be full disclosure to tourists putting their well being in the hands of a stranger, regardless of their personal history.