Prisoners in Italy will be able to work in museums under an agreement signed by the country's culture and justice ministries, reports news agency ANSA. The new system will see around 100 prisoners carry out public utility works in 52 cultural institutions including the Royal Palace of Caserta, the Pinacoteca di Bologna and the Palazzo Ducale in Mantua as well as in dozens of libraries and archives.

The programme, designed for people serving jail sentences of up to four years, was unveiled by culture minister Dario Franceschini and justice minister Marta Cartabia.