Prisoners on drug rehab programme to be given allowance

Charles Miceli

Jan 15th 2010, 19:20

@Kenneth Cassar I think we have a lot in common. Please can you contact me on miceli@keyworld.net

Joe Mallia

Jan 15th 2010, 10:47

@ O. Sant Angelo:
"Will the allowance be affected if the prisoner fails the urine and/or breathalyzer tests? "

Definitely. When a prisoner fails a test, he is sent back to CCF and therefore stops being considered as ' undergoing drug rehabilitation' . The minister's answer is very clear in this regard.

Kenneth Cassar

Jan 15th 2010, 08:37

@ O. Sant Angelo:

"Will the allowance be affected if the prisoner fails the urine and/or breathalyzer tests?".

Of course. But for more details, you should speak to a member of parliament and tell him to make a Parliamentary Question on this. Otherwise, wait for the announcement to be made in the coming weeks, as the last sentence of this report makes clear.

Kenneth Cassar

Jan 15th 2010, 07:20

@ O. Sant Angelo:

"Addicts steal valuable items (and not so valuable items) and sell them for a few euros to the first buyer, to fund addiction. Eur23.30 won't make anyone rich, but it'll still buy something".

We're speaking of prisoners here, so this does not apply.

O. Sant' Angelo

Jan 14th 2010, 20:42

@Charles Mice;o
Thank you for clarifiying the current situation and the reasons for this which this allowance is to be given. I do in fact support the underlying principle of solidariety.

However, as you say, lapses and relapses are common. Unfortunately the allowance may be used to fuel a re/lapse just as much as revenue from a stolen item could be. It is this reality that prompts the question which no one has answered:

Will the allowance be affected if the prisoner fails the urine and/or breathalyzer tests?

That is what I mean by monitoring, and that is what should affect public support of this initiative.

Charles Mice;o

Jan 14th 2010, 20:13

@O. Sant Angelo

Sorry but I believe there is a misunderstanding somewhere. The 23 euros weekly will not be given to addicts but to a limited number of prisoners who are clean and undergoing treatment in rehab residential programmes. These prisoners are not even allowed to drink and their urines are monitored regularly besides having breathalyzer tests.

The money is meant to help them buy bare necessities as otherwise they will end their rehab programmes in debt either with the service providers or with their families.

It is true that lapses and relapses are common features in rehab programmes but one must keep in mind that this is a process and it is our duty to keep helping these persons and their families. I personally know young men and women who tried and tried but finally they managed to kick their habit and now are productive citizens.

O. Sant' Angelo

Jan 14th 2010, 19:35

@Kenneth Cassar
With reference to all your well-meaning comments on this page...
You should also think in the present about the present.

Addicts steal valuable items (and not so valuable items) and sell them for a few euros to the first buyer, to fund addiction. Eur23.30 won't make anyone rich, but it'll still buy something. Since you seem to know it won't buy "enough", you should know it's never actually "enough".

My point was, and remains, that this allowance can be either a God-sent incentive as you unreservedly think or just a little more rope to hang themselves with. What do the stats on relapses say? If monitoring is required but not exercised, this may just turn out to be another short-sighted, political exercise.

joe mallia

Jan 14th 2010, 09:22

@ A. Mallia

All of us fund each other's past or present mistakes Mr Mallia. You are funding every prisoner's stay at CCF since i hope ,you pay your taxes like every honest citizen should. Should i stop paying my taxes since millions of euros go each year for operations on people who smoke or eat or drink too much.

Kenneth Cassar

Jan 14th 2010, 07:42

@ Joseph Grech:

"Kenneth Cassar must surely have the brains and the imaginiation to understand that if more inmates will decide to join a drugs rehabilation course a good percentage might be more interested in getting the money".

Yes, I am sure that with €23.30 per week they will become rich in no time, and buy all the drugs they want. Get real.

Kenneth Cassar

Jan 14th 2010, 07:40

@ A Mallia:

To answer your question, if I were a victim of theft committed by drug addicts, I would wish for more work to be done on drug prevention/rehabilitation so that drug addiction would be reduced if not entirely eradicated. This would in turn result in less theft.

I would think that if rehabilitation programmes were more successful, I would have been spared of my theft.

If it were possible, I would enter a time-machine and prevent the theft, but we all know this is not possible.

I don't think in the past. I learn from the past, but think in the present towards the future, and I think long-term.

Kenneth Cassar

Jan 14th 2010, 07:33

@ O Sant Angelo:

"Do you actually support the cosa nostra theory i.e. Pay for protection or else...??" - No.

"In that case I would rather finance overtime for the police to make our streets safer".

I would rather provide affordable incentives for people to overcome their drug-addiction.

Charles Miceli

Jan 13th 2010, 22:23

We are paying taxes to keep drug addicts behind bars but sooner or later these persons will finish their sentence. Once they are out on the street we pay taxes for their medicines, their social services, their court cases, etc. We pay taxes to have soldiers doing road blocks and policemen arresting drug addicts again and again. Isn't it wiser to try to rehabilitate them and help them become law abiding citizens with a job?

Another point. Who are these people? Why are they in prison? Why do they take drugs? How many of them are dual diagnostics? Do they take drugs to self medicate? Will I lock them up and throw away the keys if they were my children?

Once again congratulations to Dr Carm Mifsud Bonnici.

Robert Callus

Jan 13th 2010, 21:59

As a person who has declared every since cent the ten years I've been working, I'm GLAD that a pittance of that tax money helps people build a new life. Drug rehab is not an easy thing in prison or not. Many of these people work hard to change their life. Some end up homeless and jobless. This small amount of money helps them for a new beginning. In the end it means less addicts on the streets.

A. Mallia

Jan 13th 2010, 21:12

@g.c. Forte - If you were the victim of theft (most likely committed by drug addicts) would you not be incensed to know that you are then also paying them an allowance out of your taxes to (supposedly) reform themselves? I wouldn't even give them 1c a year.

Joseph Grech

Jan 13th 2010, 21:04

Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici should resign for coming up with such a ludicrous scheme. It is wrong all round: giving a prisoner undergoing a Drugs Rehabilitation course a weekly allowance will not serve as an incentive to kick the habit; it is unjust towards the remaining prisoners; it is unjust towards the taxpayers and finally the beleagured Malta economy which is fast hitting the dust can ill afford such silly luxuries!
Kenneth Cassar must surely have the brains and the imaginiation to understand that if more inmates will decide to join a drugs rehabilation course a good percentage might be more interested in getting the money Carmenu is dishing out to them than in actually kicking the habit! Honestly now: can we really blame them for so doing? Certainly many inmates are as intelligent, at least, as a number of our politicians. This whole issue serves to show that!
C.M.B. you should resign for cooking up such a silly plan! The P.M. should put a stop to it - and the Opposition leader should express himself about it also!

A. Mallia

Jan 13th 2010, 21:00

@ Kenneth Cassar - If you were the victim of theft (most likely committed by drug addicts) would you not be incensed to know that you are then also paying them an allowance out of your taxes to (supposedly) reform themselves?

A. Mallia

Jan 13th 2010, 20:56

@Charles Miceli - Even 23 cents a week, once funded by taxes paid by victims of crimes committed by drug addicts, would be 23 cents too much.

A. Mallia

Jan 13th 2010, 20:53

Let me see if I've understood correctly:

First, drug-users fund their habits through theft and the like. Next, should they decide to follow a rehab program, they are given an allowance funded by taxes paid by the people they've robbed.

If that is not adding insult to injury, then I don't know what is - Try asking the victims of such crimes.

Charles Miceli

Jan 13th 2010, 18:42

In rehab programmes residents aren't allowed to carry any money. If they need to spend anything, say for toiletries or clothing, they have to make a written request to the staff. Once and if this request is approved, residents are usually sent with staff members to buy necessities. It is a very strict regime and only gradually will the resident be allowed to carry money. Even so, he or she has to plan with staff members how this money is going to be spent as this will help residents to learn how to plan, budget and be responsible.

But please let us not forget that we are talking about 23 euros a week to a limited number of prisoners who have proved that they deserve to start a rehab programme.

GiovDeMartino@J Abela

Jan 13th 2010, 18:18

Ghidilna f'liema pajjiz qed toqghod u nkunu nistghu nitkellmu ahjar.

GiovDeMartino

Jan 13th 2010, 17:21

Fakkarni Joss Galea. Jiehdu l-allowance kienu u jiehdu l-allowance baqghu is-single mothers!

O. Sant' Angelo

Jan 13th 2010, 16:51

How will expenditure of the allowance be monitored?
If smart cards are good for students, they're certainly good enough for prisoners on drug rehab programs. Handing out cold cash sounds ridiculous.

@Kenneth Cassar
Do you actually support the cosa nostra theory i.e. Pay for protection or else...??
In that case I would rather finance overtime for the police to make our streets safer.

J. Bonnici

Jan 13th 2010, 16:26

I agree with this financial allowance to prisoners on a drug rehabilitation programe, BUT ONLY AFTER KICKING THE HABIT !!!! This is a sort of incentive.

Kenneth Cassar

Jan 13th 2010, 14:22

@ Joseph Grech:

"I am ready to bet that from now on more people undergoing rehabilitation in prison will apply to join a drug rehabilitation programme".

Let's hope so.

Manuel Mangani

Jan 13th 2010, 13:37

Those commenting negatively abbout this measure should perhaps inform themselves with how these allowances are utilised in rehabilitation programmes before venting out their knee-jerk reactions.

Joseph Calleja

Jan 13th 2010, 13:36

Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici, What are you going to offer to other offenders, like murderers, thieves, drunk drivers etc? They all deserve rehab while in prison. But then we give allowances to illegal immigrants, and also support single mothers without fathers, and so on. No wonder the deficit keeps getting bigger and bigger. I wonder who comes up with these bright ideas? Not the government? OIM.

joe Mallia

Jan 13th 2010, 13:15

@C.Busuttil
I'm sure there are prospective clients for these rehabilitation programmes attending M' Cast at the moment so i will be carefull if i were you in labelling anybody. Drug addiction can be found in all levels of society wheyer they be students, tax payers or any other form you care to mention. It could also be the son of one of the commenters here who will be very gratefull for any assistance they would get once the reality has hit home...so there you have it folks. get real.

Kenneth Cassar

Jan 13th 2010, 13:14

@ Chris Frendo:

"And I think you know nothing about drug rehabilitation programmes. It is an established statistic that very few who complete the programme stay clean. The great majority relapse over and over again. So what do we do then? Ask them to pay the money back?".

Regarding your first claim...you're assuming too much.

Regarding the second sentence, it is irrelevant. By the same reasoning, one would have to stop the rehabilitation service altogether, since if one looks at the short-term, the service is expensive and "gets nothing in return". But people who know about successful drug rehabilitation cases know they are worth every euro spent.

Regarding your final question, the answer would be yes. Why not? If not in cash, in added time in jail.

I'm as real as one can be. I think long-term.

Charles Miceli

Jan 13th 2010, 13:09

These 23 euros a week are surenly not a reward. Inmates who are in drug rehab are persons too and while not entitled to any relief money, they still need to buy necessities like toiletries, clothing, etc.

They also fave families - wives, husbands, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters who more often than not are struggling to make ends meet. Do these prisoners have to beg to be able to send a birthday card to their mother or to buy a toy from a discount shop for their son at Xmas?

Besides money invested in rehab will help these people, or some of them, to start a new life as law abiding citizens - that means that they will eventually pay income tax, national insurance, etc. instead of applying for social services.

Well done Dr. Mifsud Bonnici and thanks to all those who are helping these people in their attempts to turn a new page in life.

J Farrugia

Jan 13th 2010, 13:08

@ Anna Callus bi dritt ta' risposta u f'isem il-liberta tal-espressjoni li ngawdi, jekk inti hsibt li ser thammrilna wiccna sejra mqarrqa. Wiccek ghandhu jihmar u mhux taghna. Ahna t-taxxi kollha nhallsuhom anzi jehduhomlna qabel ma naraw il-paga. U ma nerdux flus haddiehor bhal ma jaghmlu dawk il-kriminali li posthom huwa l-habs u mhux barra t-triq.

Claire Busuttil

Jan 13th 2010, 12:58

I do not agree at all. My taxes, should not be going in these people`s pocket. I know they need help bla bla bla, but afterall, everyone should be responsible for his own actions. It is simply NOT FAIR!!!!! these money should go, to maybe get more medical help for innocent ppl who are suffering!!!!
What they need is a strong programme, and that`s it!!

Joss Galea

Jan 13th 2010, 12:57

Mela min igib il-hsara fuqu B"IDEJH jigi premjat!!! Bhall tas-single mothers din!!!

anthea doughty

Jan 13th 2010, 12:55

No rehab programme as part of a sentence will work - the addict has to have got to a point where they alone have decided in their heart to change and kick the habit - NOTHING ELSE WORKS! FACT! You need NA and AA meetings in Malta (I know there are AA meetings but not sure about NA). Making rehab a compulsory part of anyones sentence is doomed to fail nigh on every time. If they are going of their own accord as they are locked up with nothing better to do then I suggest that is good, a seed may be sown, however, why they should be rewarded with an allowance is beyond me......

Maurice Caruana

Jan 13th 2010, 12:54

Shame should be reserved for those who call themselves Christians and are scandalised by the decision to "donate" a meagre Euros 23.30 per week to persons who have wronged (probably, they are the victims of the drug lords and drug pushers) but are making a real effort to be accepted back in society which rehabilitation is all about. The "allowance" is meant as an incentive for these people to persevere in their rehabilitation efforts.

GiovDeMartino

Jan 13th 2010, 12:52

Hekk ahjar! U tat-Taxxi baghat javzani li xi 8 snin ilu kien baqaghli nhallas TLIET EUROS ohra ghax il-pagamenti tieghi kienu waslu tard! Minn dak li rajt f'Xarabank kwazi kwazi qed nisthi nghid li jien qatt ma mort habs!!!!!

L Gusman

Jan 13th 2010, 12:49

What about students who did not manage to pass on to their chosen course of studies and have to repeat a year of studies, these students are not given a stipend and therefore have to go through a year of hardship. These students should be compensated as well. Sometimes it is not their fault but due to other circumstances beyond their control. And then we give an allowance to persons on a drug rehab programme. This is absurd.....

Martha Mifsud

Jan 13th 2010, 12:48

Is it possible that the government is now seeking to invest our future in prisoners? How come they are to receive more allowance than students get, who are in my opinion the real future of our society!!

Chris Frendo

Jan 13th 2010, 12:47

@ g.c.Forte

It's not about the moeny. it's about the principle. You should note that many university students do not get 23euro per week!!!!

Chris Frendo

Jan 13th 2010, 12:35

@ Kenneth Cassar

And I think you know nothing about drug rehabilitation programmes. It is an established statistic that very few who complete the programme stay clean. The great majority relapse over and over again. So what do we do then? Ask them to pay the money back?

Please get real. We (the ordinary people) have to work hard for every penny.

J. Mifsud

Jan 13th 2010, 12:11

Excellent priorities!!!!!!! And then my son, who has been attending MCAST for the past year does not get a cent. Dan x'genn hu? Hawwadni halli nifhmek!!!

Joseph Grech

Jan 13th 2010, 12:06

I am ready to bet that from now on more people undergoing rehabilitation in prison will apply to join a drug rehabilitation programme. Can anybody blame them?
The shortsightedness and casualness of certain people who ought to know better is astonishing. They will do anything to look liberal, generous and conscientious....even if that means possibly introducing measures that can easily be abused and inflicting financial problems on the entire country!
Helping single parents - initially a laudable measure - is being abused beyond all belief. This latest publicity stunt by Gonzi PN stands to end up the same way. Could Dr. Mifsud Bonnici have the decency to comment about this please - TODAY, in The Times Comment section, so that readers will know how government intends to prevent possible abuse to this generosity. Citizens have a right to know surely! What does the Hon. P.M. think about all this?

Oscar Cassar

Jan 13th 2010, 11:55

I know that there are dedicated people involved in the management of drug rehabilitation programmes for sentenced prisoners and I full agree that the Government gives such allowance, BUT it is also true the Government is doing practically nothing in victimology.

Anna Callus

Jan 13th 2010, 11:55

I sometimes wonder whether it is worth their while going into rehab. Perhaps they should just continue in their old ways and steal from righteous citizens like the gentlemen and/or women Farrugia, Micallef, Bartoli et al to feed their addiction. I doubt that these respectable "honest" contributors "on the good side" would actually survive in a world bereft of unrepentant criminals. It wouldn't feed their need to gripe, would it?

g.c.Forte

Jan 13th 2010, 11:54

@ All................Hold your brakes..........we are talking about 23.30 euros and not Lm. and not every day but every week...........Ghaxar liri maltin fil gimgha ........x`qamel. Lanqas ghal flixkun luminata u borza crisps ma ghandhom kull jum. x`qamel x`qamel.

RSpiteri

Jan 13th 2010, 11:53

Its shameful to read these comments. I'm sure that all of you don't even know of 1 real case of this type. Why everything said and done in this country has to be politicized. If you hate it so much over here why don't you leave and find a perfect country, perhaps on an island on your own where you can take all decisions. And i do pay lots of taxes like most of you.

M. Galea

Jan 13th 2010, 11:50

Whilst prisoners might be undergoing a rehabilitation programme, which indicates the will to change their ways, I don't see why they should be rewarded for it.

The messages being given out are that do what is not correct (have multiple kids out of wed lock, register them as unknown father, take drugs etc etc) and the government (or rather the honest working citizen) will reward and support you.

This is becoming a sick joke

P. Camilleri

Jan 13th 2010, 11:48

wow... and we go to work to pay taxes!! thats amazing. of course the Maltese economy can afford such a financial allowance, we dont have any deficits. Its better to start a drug addiction and go to prison rather than finding a job.. at least you wont have to pay taxes, you'll have Cikku and Peppu pay taxes for you. well done government!

Kevin Zammit

Jan 13th 2010, 11:43

I wonder what sort of study was conducted ... is this 'allowance' more cash for drugs?

Edwin Mifsud

Jan 13th 2010, 11:41

One of these drug addicts broke into my car and did more damage to it than the stereo he stole was worth.

When will I get my allowance (for being an honest citizen) to help me repair my car?

Can the Hon. Mifsud Bonnici guarantee that the allowance money will not be spent on drugs?

Glenn Travers

Jan 13th 2010, 11:30

In the interest of fairness it should be noted that there is nothing forcing these prisoners to undergo drug rehabilitation, it is their choice. They could equally have chosen to serve their sentence at the main prison without tackling their drug problem. What these prisoners have chosen to do is do something about the cause of their offending. Therefore, it should be seen as a positive step by them. Why? Because if they do something about the thing that causes them to commit crimes, when they are released they will be less likely to commit further crimes. Thus producing a safer environment for us all to live in. In which case, €23.30 a week is a very good investment in our joint futures

J Abela

Jan 13th 2010, 11:22

Mhux hekk?!

Mela jien kont ili nhallas il-bolla mindu kont 6th former u kull centezmu taxxa hallastu inkella kont nibla l-multi, u jigi il-gvern (kwalkunkwe, mhux kwistjoni ta' politika) u jarmi l-flus hekk kif gie gie.

Nini nini imma issa ta'... ghax jien tlaqt minn Malta hekk kif qtajt qalbi mill-pajjiz. Oqghodu hallsu l-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma. Kull pajjiz ikollu l-gvernijiet li jixirqulu, tinsewx.

Kenneth Cassar

Jan 13th 2010, 11:19

@ Everyone who is not giving the issue at least a few seconds thought before commenting:

It is in everybody's interests that prison inmates are reformed before they are released. Incentives for drug addicts to take drug rehabilitation programmes does not only benefit themselves, but also the rest of society.

It is a well known fact that many drug addicts resort to theft to support their addiction.

Ask yourself this question: What would you rather have...a small allowance paid through your taxes, or your car/house/shop robbed?

Think realistically, and that means not thinking only in the short-term.

C.Busuttil

Jan 13th 2010, 11:18

thus ... it pays more to be in rehab than at MCAST or 6th Form!

Where are our values and priorities standing?

P Agius

Jan 13th 2010, 11:13

@ J farrugia

Giving them an allowance would benefit the whole society....They do not have to resort to theft (which could me or you) to sustain themselves at least whilst on rehab.....

john micallef

Jan 13th 2010, 11:08

as usual, in this system, those on the wrong side get rewarded, whilst those honest and on the good side get drained from what they earn. excellent

Mario Micallef

Jan 13th 2010, 11:05

Looks like the world is really going crazy...governments helping criminals...whereas a decent worker is taxed more and more..so the message is simple...do things the wrong way as you will get help...look at social security etc etc...UNREAL!!!

N Bartoli

Jan 13th 2010, 11:02

mhux hekk!!! ahdem u hallas it-taxxi!!!

Kenneth Cassar

Jan 13th 2010, 10:59

@ J Farrugia:

I think you might haved missed the first five words of the news report.

J Farrugia

Jan 13th 2010, 10:40

The government should be ashamed of giving allowances to prisoners. Shame shame and more shame. How dare they give them allowances when these prisoners do not repent from what they did for being sent to jail. Instead of giving allowances to these prisoners the government should give this money to the victims of these criminals for the damage they sustain due to their criminal behaviour and actions.