Corradino prison will have two directors with one assuming responsibility for the operational side while the other will ensure inmates serving time are being reformed, a Home Affairs Ministry spokesman said.

You can’t find that mix in one person

A director of operations and a correctional director will also be appointed, with the latter possibly being a foreigner experienced in the matter, he said, adding that some operational reforms should be in place by the end of May.

This structure will ensure the Corradino Correctional Facility will live up to its name and offer a structured correctional and reformative element.

He added that this two-director structure was proposed by Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia following consultation and research.

“A prison needs to ensure that the daily operation is managed efficiently and that inmates are being offered correctional services. We found that you can’t find that mix in one person,” the spokesman said.

The prison has often been criticised for focusing on punishing convicted criminals while ignoring the reformative element.

In January 2012, the Restorative Justice Act came into force with the aim to offer prisoners the possibility of reform.

Among other things the Act introduced parole, through which inmates could be allowed out under a number of conditions.

However, the parole system has not started operating since the structures are not yet in place.

The decision to appoint two directors comes a week after former prison director Abraham Zammit resigned just days after Dr Mallia uncovered abuse by prison warders, who repeatedly left work hours before their shift ended.

Assistant Police Commissioner Ray Zammit has been appointed to serve as prison director temporarily. A ministerial inquiry was launched into the abuse.

The ministry also set up another board to look into various prison structures and shortcomings and make recommendations for improvements.

These included the way the tuck shop operated and how inmates’ food was provided.

The board will also be looking at a report compiledthree years ago on the workings of the prison that “remained tucked away in a desk drawer”, the spokesman said.

Necessary reforms will be concluded by the end of May, ­­­he added.

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