Inmates at the young offenders’ section in Corradino are idle and unproductive with no personalised care programme, according to Social Policy Minister Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca.
Speaking to the media after the visit, when she got an idea about the place “from the horse’s mouth”, Ms Coleiro Preca said it was unacceptable that young people were in prison without a care plan.
“We will do our utmost so that those who make mistakes would shoulder responsibility but are also given enough support to get on the right track.”
She criticised the lack of activities at the section saying that most young offenders spent their day on a PlayStation or watching television.
They only had educational lessons twice a week.
One psychologist spent just a few hours a week at the section. This called for the need of a multi-disciplinary team to address the young inmates’ personal needs through a care plan.
Such a move would turn the place into a correctional facility and not a prison, as it was now, she said.
Ms Coleiro Preca said the Government was committed to understand what led young offenders to the section and what happened to the inmates when they left the place. Most ended up there because of social and economic shortcomings, she added.
There are about 30 men aged between 18 and 26 at the young offenders’ unit rehabilitation services (Yours) section.
Asked about any plans to relocate the unit outside Corradino Correctional Facility, as had been proposed, Ms Coleiro Preca said the Government would at the moment focus on care programmes, adding that it was too early to move.