Many years ago, I had written about this subject but, unfortunately, I was completely ignored. I expect the same will happen this time round.

It is an undeniable fact that, every year, hundreds of persons who should have been sent to prison are left to roam among us, often repeating their misdeeds. Most probably, one of the main reasons for this apparent clemency is the lack of space in prison. The number of inmates at Corradino has been constantly increasing and has more than doubled its original full capacity.

Fortunately the Maltese economy is doing exceptionally well and hundreds of millions of euros are being spent yearly on various projects, mainly roads. For the first time, there is no deficit but a bulky surplus. To the ordinary citizen, it is of no importance where the money is coming from, whether it is from the EU or passport buyers. What really matters is the fact that, no matter how expensive the project is, the funds to implement it are readily available.

Compared to the cost of power stations, the Gozo tunnel, roadworks etc, the expense of building a prison, much larger than the existing one, would be like a drop in the ocean. There is no need for luxuries in a prison. A prison is not a hotel, Although we now call it a correctional facility, it remains a prison, a place where wrongdoers are deprived of some of their liberties to redeem themselves.

Hopefully, this appeal will not fall on deaf ears. Perhaps within a few years Malta will rid itself of the hundreds of wrongdoers who roam our streets daily. They belong in prison, so send them where they belong.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.