| ROME (Reuters) - The next time you call directory inquiries in Italy, you may speak to a convicted(1) murderer.
罗马（路透社）- 下次到罗马打查号台，您可能碰上一个被判刑的杀人犯为您服务。
Italy's biggest phone operator, Telecom Italia, on Thursday presented its new call-center in Rome's largest prison, where 24 inmates(2) are glued to a computer screen to answer thousands of requests for phone numbers and addresses every day.
意大利最大的电话公司，意大利电信，周三起用了设在罗马第一大监狱里的新电话中心。在那里24名犯人每天守在电脑屏幕前回答上千个有关电话号码和地址的问讯。
"This is a unique initiative(3) in Europe and it helps the detainees(4) get some work experience and prepare for when they'll get out of prison," said Telecom's Chairman Marco Provera as he toured the Rebibbia jail, a huge concrete block housing 1,600 inmates.
“在欧洲这是项创举。它帮助犯人们获得一些工作经验，为他们出狱后做准备，” 意大利电信主席马可. 普罗瓦让在参观这个叫热比比的监狱时说。在这座巨大的钢筋建筑里关押着1600名犯人。
"Good afternoon, this is Gianluca speaking, how can I help you? Thank you for calling Telecom Italia," said Gianluca Descenzo, who is serving a 13-year sentence for a drug-related murder, politely answering the umpteenth(5) call of the day.
“下午好，我是甘路卡，有什么能帮您？谢谢致电意大利电信，”甘路卡.帝桑礼貌地接听这一天第无数个电话时说。他为了毒品而杀人被判了13年徒刑。
"It's good because people don't know who we are, so we don't feel like we are in a ghetto(6) anymore," he told Reuters as he paused before taking another call.
“这样很好因为人们不知道我们是谁，所以我们不再感觉自己在监狱里，”他在接听电话的间隙告诉路透社记者。
Rebibbia's call-center runs from 8 a.m to 8 p.m. every day except Sundays.
热比比电话中心每天从早八点营业到晚八点，除周日外每天都提供服务。
The detainees get paid 12 cents ($0.15) per call answered and on a normal day each one of them deals with around 200 requests for information.
犯人们每接听一个电话能得到12分（0.15美圆）的报酬。一般每人每天能接到200个信息查询电话。
"Jails should not only be a place for punishment. They need not be a permanent hell, they must also give opportunities to people," said Justice Minister Clemente Mastella.
“监狱不只是惩罚人的地方。 它们不应该永远是地狱。它们也应该给犯人机会，”司法部长克莱明特.马斯塔拉说。
Telecom says there is no security risk in having detainees consult a nationwide database of phone numbers and addresses.
意大利电信说让犯人们接触到全国电话号码和地址的数据库并无安全之虞。
The prisoners cannot dial outside the jail and the company's computerized switchboard(7) randomly(8) directs each call to any one of Telecom's 45 call centers scattered across Italy.
犯人们在监狱里不能拨打外线。而公司里由电脑控制的交换台能随机地把每一个来电调配给本公司遍及意大利全国的45个电话中心。
"This may seem like a boring routine job, but for people who would otherwise spend the day sitting in our cells and doing nothing, it actually gives a sense to your life," said 34-year old Salvatore Striano, who has been convicted for Mafia crimes and also works in the call-center.
“这个工作好象很枯燥很程式化，但对于每天反正也要蹲在监狱里无所事事地犯人来说，这个工作实际上给了你生活的感觉，” 在电话中心工作的34岁的萨尔瓦托.斯托努说。他因参与黑手党犯罪而被判刑。
1. convict 宣告有罪, 犯人
2. inmate （医院、监狱里）同住者
3. initiative 创举
4. detainees 被拘留者
5. umpteenth 第无数个
6. ghetto 犹太人区
7. switchboard 交换台
8. randomly 随机地 |
