A recent constitutional court judgment ruled that a prisoner serving a life sentence had the right to apply for a review after 25 years. In other words, he would be eligible for parole after serving 25 years of a life sentence.
This judgment was given after taking into consideration what the European Court of Human Rights had previously ruled and in line with Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The basis for such decisions is that prisoners serving life sentences should not be denied the right to hope that having atoned for their past mistakes, they might one day start a new life.
Having spent 12 years working full-time as an educational coordinator at the Corradino Correctional Facility from 1997 to 2009, I have met several prisoners serving a life sentence and have spent long hours speaking to them and discussing their problems. As such, I cannot but be in favour of the court judgment and fully agree that a person serving a life sentence should be eligible for parole after serving 25 years of the sentence.
The first thing that we have to keep in mind is that people change. It is true that some crimes are truly horrific, some would even argue that they deserve the death penalty. Granted, but let us stop for one moment and reflect.
Are you the same person you were 25 years ago? Do you still make the same mistakes now that you made then? Are you not much more mature and more capable of reflecting on the consequences of your actions?
Secondly, it is in the interests of all the staff at the Corradino Correctional Facility not to have prisoners who have lost all hope, who have nothing to lose if they commit another serious crime.
People who work at the facility, like correctional officers, doctors, teachers, psychologists and social workers, would be at a much greater occupational risk if they daily came into contact with people whose situation in life was a totally desperate one, bereft of any hope of amelioration.
Let us stop and reflect on the cruelty of condemning someone to a life without any hope
The mental health of somebody whose life situation cannot get better is bound to deteriorate over time, making it more likely that the person will commit irrational acts, which can seriously endanger the lives of those he/she comes into contact with.
The third factor to consider is that being eligible for parole does not automatically mean that one’s request will be granted.
Parole is only granted on the basis of good behaviour, remorse for one’s past transgressions and a genuine effort at reform and becoming a productive member of society.
I can assure everybody that the members of the Parole Board are not going to be fooled by anybody who does not deserve parole.
There are strict criteria to ensure that the best interests of the society will be safeguarded.
As I said, I have met prisoners serving life sentences and saw the many good points they have. I will never forget the beautiful handmade products masterfully crafted by a prisoner with a life sentence for multiple murders. I will always remember the interesting intellectual discussions during the learning sessions at the Education Unit of the Corradino Correctional Facility.
It is a pity that because of the circumstances they were faced with earlier in life, these people committed crimes that landed them in jail for a very long time.
I am sure that with the professional help they are receiving at the Corradino Correctional Facility, they can now put their dark past behind them and contribute towards a better future when they are reintegrated into society.
It is useless to take a vindictive approach towards prisoners serving life sentences.
Today, all educated people realise that a policy based solely on punishment and retribution simply does not work. Turning people into totally anti-social beings by being brutal and inhuman to them will always backfire to the detriment of society.
We should instead base our correctional policies on the principle of restorative justice, which means that a reformed offender is given a second chance and in turn makes reparations to the victims and to the rest of society.
I know that usually articles like this one are not well received by many. The prevalent idea in Maltese society is still based on “life means life, throw away the key and let them rot in prison where they belong!”
I can fully understand the sense of anger generated by horrific crimes deserving of life sentences. However, let us stop and reflect on the cruelty of condemning someone to a life without any hope.
Would this be an action worthy of human beings?
Desmond Zammit Marmarà is a Balzan Labour councillor.