A cackling rooster call pierced the silence, followed by the sound of quiet laughter. We stood in a courtyard ringed by oppressively institutional gray buildings, and I swiveled my head nervously as a stiff breeze blew through Saluzzo. The giggly presence of two dozen young students had attracted some attention from the residents of this casa di reclusione. In less euphemistic, non-Italian terms, that would be a prison.

“Welcome to the Saluzzo prison,” said our guide, Andrea. “I apologize for the ID screening and metal detector. As you can see, it is very difficult to visit here, but visitors are very important because they provide a window to the outside world. In return, we will now drink.”

Moving along the sidewalk, we turned a corner and were confronted with the intense smell of warm bread. We had arrived here to see the Pausa Cafe brewery project, a non-profit cooperative that works with prisons in Torino and Saluzzo in beer brewing and coffee cafe programs. The mission is to help rehabilitate prisoners and give them productive skills that they can use once no longer behind bars. The cooperative began in 2004, and has successfully employed about 30 prisoners over the last few years. None have been reincarcerated once released from prison. Currently, the Saluzzo brewery employs 3 prisoners, along with 2 non-inmates, and inmate employees are paid 900 euros per month. The brewery produces around 50.000 liters of beer annually, which is sold in Coop grocery chains, gourmet groceries, CSAs, and exported to Norway and the US.
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