Berlusconi bans singing by Mafia inmates

ROME, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Convicted Mafia bosses spending time in Italian jails will no longer be allowed to sing while incarcerated, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi says.

The new jail regulation, aimed at stopping the incarcerated criminals from passing along orders to outside forces, is part of Berlusconi's new terse stand against the convicted leaders of organized crime, the Telegraph of London said Monday.

Justice Minister Angelino Alfano said in addition to stopping the bosses from singing in jail, Italian officials have banned the inmates from socializing with their fellow convicted mobsters.

"We are toughening up the rules and coming down hard on the Mafia even when they are in jail," Alfano told the Telegraph. "They will not be allowed to socialize and they will not be allowed to sing."

"We have evidence that in the past orders and messages were passed on and we have also stopped them mixing with each other as well. They will spend the majority of their day alone in their cells.''