Christian Peregin
Justice Ministry promises White Paper in October
Criminologist expresses scepticism
A White Paper proposing a series of prison reforms, including the introduction of parole and the concept of restorative justice, will be published in October, the Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs has promised.
The pledge comes in the wake of negative media reports and pressure from NGOs for the prison system to become a correctional facility rather than a place of punishment. Although Corradino is officially touted as a correctional facility, a study released this year by Mid-Dlam għad-Dawl, a voluntary organisation that works to promote the well-being of inmates and their families, showed that out of every two Maltese prisoners released from jail, one is likely to return behind bars.
Reforming the prisons is no simple task and even those at the heart of the campaign to introduce such reforms are sceptical, arguing that many areas of the criminal system still leave much to be desired.
"Community service is already part of the law but it is rarely used. Probation is given very often but there aren't enough probation officers. It's impossible to cope with the kind of caseload these officers have. I'm afraid that the same will happen with parole," Sue Micallef, a criminologist, said.
Parole enables prisoners to reintegrate slowly into society by being conditionally released after serving part of their sentence while still being supervised accordingly. This gives prisoners the chance to start working and interact with their families and the rest of society instead of becoming institutionalised and idle. It also gives prisoners something to look forward to, providing an incentive to study or learn a trade while in prison.
Restorative justice is an umbrella term for different methods of criminal justice that include rehabilitation, community service, reconciliation with victims and counselling.
The idea behind restorative justice is that crime is committed against persons and communities who, in turn, deserve compensation. It is also based on the concept of reform: If prisoners are given the right counselling and made to understand the consequences of their crimes they might change their ways.
Community service can be especially effective if used more frequently in cases of fines because, rather than costing the government money to house such people in prisons, they will be able to give something back to the country in terms of work. This work could include cleaning, maintenance, whitewashing, trades and so on.
"There will always be those that find it difficult to reform. But the vast majority want to and will be able to change if they are given the tools," argued Ms Micallef, one of the most prominent parole activists.
She explained that restorative justice may even include criminals being given a chance to meet their victims in order to put a face to the crimes they have committed and understand the consequences through the emotions of their victims. However, all of this needs to be seen within the context of the types of crimes committed, the willingness of the victims and what the White Paper will propose.
The Mid-Dlam għad-Dawl survey had also found that very few prisoners are given appropriate skills training or any form of education and that 45 per cent of them do absolutely nothing during their stay.
"Since the vast majority of prisoners are drug addicts who find their way to prison by committing crimes to fund their addictions, most of them want to change and with the right treatment they can," Ms Micallef said.
She believes that this comes down to political will and that it is the ministry that needs to provide enough investment and training to ensure a better criminal system.
"Correctional officers have only one week of training. It's a joke... There aren't enough social workers, doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists. The prison needs to adapt itself and become a learning and rehabilitation centre and not just a cage for the 'bad guys'," she argued.
Ms Micallef said that former prison director Sandro Gatt, who stepped down a few weeks ago following media reports about his leadership, was unjustly harangued by the media.
"He was a good guy, with true human values and the prison will suffer without him. His resignation will not bring change," Ms Micallef said.
She thinks that change will happen if the new prison director is someone who is qualified in correctional management rather than a policeman who has been trained to bring people to justice and punish wrongdoers.
Although the Home Affairs Ministry has been promising the White Paper for months, Ms Micallef fears it will be "one big disappointment".
"Without enough investment and political will, the proposals will remain on paper or will be introduced poorly. How can we introduce parole and restorative justice before we sort out the problems we are having with probation and community service and before the people running and working at the prison are properly trained and qualified in correction?"
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12 Comments
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Joseph Schembri
Dec 10th 2008, 18:34
Mid December now - still waiting dear Dr. Carm!
Meanwhile human suffering continues....
Joseph Schembri
Nov 7th 2008, 18:09
it is mid november now - where is the white paper?
Dr. Saviour Formosa
Sep 26th 2008, 14:00
Since everyone seems to know me more than I do myself, kindly note that I stand by my words. I did not state them out of spite, in fact Ms Micallef has been and is a student of mine during this academic year. Her campaign is commendable but my main argument was that she can speak for the campaign but not for the agencies mentioned or an asyet 'unkown' whitepaper. The MDD statement reflects this. The others cannot reply due to protocol.
I had never heared about Dr. Spillane prior to this week when he sent me an email querying MACA membership. I do not know who he is and neither am I interested in being drawn into his controversies. If he needed more information from me he could have just call me, but that dis not happen, so I do not see why he has to drag me in the mess that this blog has become.
As per my points of view on freedom of speech, parole, probation, etc, these are well known since I promote them.
The MACA is reviewing who can be termed a criminologist. I explained briefly, but kindly contact MACA for more information.
Case closed
Dr Martin G. Spillane
Sep 26th 2008, 02:14
That John King should link parole to the Soham murders and “kid’s murdering each other,” is the argument of the gutter press, and deprives him of all credibility.
He is clearly not aware of the facts. There has been a well publicised debate (e.g. at St. James Cavalier), the petition had more than “a few signatures,” was not “inherently emotional” and MDD (unless it has changed its position) is fully behind the movement towards parole.
Mr King is aware that Dr Formosa had criticised Ms. Micallef’s statements as “emotional, unscientific, not based on fact (quotes secondary sources).” These were made in a newspaper article, reporting an interview with an intelligent, concerned, about-to-graduate student of criminology, and not in a paper which had gone through peer review for publication in a learned academic journal. Thus Dr Formosa’s criticisms were themselves based on secondary evidence.
John King argues that he has “seen" (sic) Dr Formosa lecture in Cambridge and knows that "he promotes students debate, so he must have grounds why he wrote his comments.” However Dr Formosa chose not to state those grounds and we cannot be expected to fill in the blanks.
John King
Sep 25th 2008, 14:00
@Christine Bonello,
Looks like you copied and pasted from the 24Sep article :(
You make it seem that you have all knowledge over probation services here. I have worked with UK non-gov agencies who are reeling from such crime as kids murdering each other. Is this what you wish for Malta. Parole is not for the glazed-eyes! Look at the Soham murders. Being goody goody to offenders will only bite you back. In Malta. its even harder as it is insular and all offenders are known.
If I interpret correctly, Dr Formosa criticised the statements as being unscientific not parole. He is correct in saying that an Association will regularise the profession: at least it gets these students to debate and discuss the issues and not just go to the press. I've seen him lecture in Cambridge and know that he promotes students debate, so he must have grounds why he wrote his comments.
Debate requires research not a few signatures, which are inherently emotional. So I have to agree with him. Ms Micallef (not Mifsud) should not have spoken for MDD, probation or others unless she had primarily brought them in the issue prior to going to the media.
Christine Bonello
Sep 24th 2008, 18:44
@Charles Camilleri
What Ms Mifsud is suggesting is indeed the right way to go. Going on Licence from Jail, being on a community order, on probation and on parole is a proven effective way of avoiding re offending and rehabilitation of the offenders. The Victim is not being forgotten since she mentioned restorative justice, which is reconciling with the victim and acknowleding the effects of your behaviour on the victims. One has to also consider that many times the offenders are themselves victims. e.g. Drug abusers, brought up in disfunctional families etc.
Probations services vary between punishment only, punishment and help, punishment help and change, and for the serious criminals punishment, help, change and control.
@ Dr Saviour Formosa
quote: "it is emotional, unscientific, not based on fact .............."
I am surprised at this comment, since there are many statistics, studies and researches that prove that community services, probation services and other support agency workers are more effective in reducing re offending and rehabilitating offenders than custodial sentances.
I should know, I am Probation Services Officer in the U.K.
Suzanne Grech
Sep 21st 2008, 11:56
A white paper at first glance looks like a step in the right direction and I sincerely hope that it will not stop there and rest on some office shelf. There is an urgent need for reforms at CCF as this was pointed out way back in 2001by a CPT report. 7 years to produce a white paper!!? Proper addiction therapy counselling are a basic human right and our young people who may have made wrong choices are being denied this on a regular basis due to lack of resources if we are to have any hope of reforming young offenders. Also necessary is active employment upon release, producing a police conduct cert for many jobs is blatant discrimination. With regards to the critics of Mr S Gatt he performed an excellent role with the limited resources at his disposal. I agree with J Cordina's idea of a two pronged directorship as there is too much for the resposibility of one person.
Andre Vella
Sep 16th 2008, 22:31
Does that mean that Dr. Formosa disagrees with the article or did he stop at mere word "criminologist"?
Dr. Saviour Formosa
Sep 16th 2008, 09:52
First things first, the person interviewed is not a criminologist. One becomes such after years of research and reading in the field. Undergrad studies does not make one a criminologist, but requires post-graduate research at Masters and Doctorate level. Posing as such is dangerous and in effect radically shifts the discipline's professional focus.
This article reflects such: it is emotional, unscientific, not based on fact (quotes secondary sources) and posits a save-the-world crusade call. To worsen matters, the article reflects inexperience on probation (having never worked in the field), neither is there any in-depth experience of what goes on in prison.
After years of work, the Malta Criminologists Association (MACA) is being set up to promote, enhance, and professionalise the criminology discipline as well as focus criminological debate on the real issues rendering a just and professional outcome. Such will ensure that criminology is not held hostage to campaign promoters for whatever crusade, however good-intentioned the aim.
The White Paper should be scientifically and professionally evaluated. Then we can debate.
A Camilleri
Sep 15th 2008, 17:06
Mr C Camilleri...
for all those who believe life in prison is a comfortable stay at a 5 star hotel i would ask all those who have had the opportunity either to visit or to stay at our prison. It is anything but comfortable. This issue doesn't have anything to do with pity. What you are talking about are two seperate issues. One is the management of corrections whilst the other is public security. Individuals in both areas do their jobs differently and one cannot amalgamate them... ever.
Charles Camilleri
Sep 15th 2008, 15:22
Yes carry on Ms.Micallef The more comfortable prison life is made the more one would not think twice to do what comes to his head. Pity the victim who is always forgotten. Well done. One hope that the security of the citizen is given priority over the much talked about reform, rehabilitation etc of the prisoners in the white paper.
Joe Cordina
Sep 15th 2008, 12:07
I bet that the next prison director will not be a person qualified in corrective services, crimiology, or anything similar. My opinion is that there should be a two pronged directorship, one being purely managerial towards logistics administrations etc and the other being well versed in criminology or corrective services. we will wait and see.