Giving students a voice

Family and Social Solidarity Minister Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca recently visited Criminology students at University for an interactive meeting on policy and crime prevention, during which the students presented the minister some of their key research findings and policy recommendations drawn from their final seminar papers.

At the meeting, the students expressed their concerns about undocumented migrants and Malta’s overdue integration policy; they raised questions about prisoners and their access to the labour market after serving time, and proposed that Government should make it a priority to create education programmes for prisoners with a focus on the transitioning of offenders.

Criminology department head Jacqueline Azzopardi pointed out that the Rise Foundation is proposing a Rehabilitation in Society programme for the support and social integration of ex-offenders as law-abiding citizens, and to enhance the general safety and well-being of Maltese society. She added that the community-based programme will seek the collaboration of relevant entities and trained professionals in the field.

The meeting was organised by Prof. Frances Camilleri-Cassar, a senior lecturer within the Criminology department.