Rebibbia prisoners undertake roadworks in Rome suburbs.

Specially-trained prisoners from Rome's Rebibbia prison have begun fixing the city's pot-holed roads as part of an agreement between the capital, Italy's justice ministry and the road authorities Altantia and Autostrade per l'Italia.

Under the title Mi riscatto per Roma (I redeem myself for Rome), the programme began on 29 January in the eastern suburb of Torre Spaccata in the presence of the city's mayor Virginia Raggi.

The roadworks are reportedly the first of ten interventions to be undertaken by the 30 prisoners, all selected on the grounds of being at low risk and serving short-term jail sentences.

Earlier this year a contentious plan to draft in soldiers to fix Rome's roads was scrapped following the intervention of Italy's president, Sergio Mattarella, in his new year speech.

Photo La Repubblica