Corradino’s Crowded Cells: A Growing Concern in Malta’s Prison System

In the heart of Malta, nestled in the bustling town of Paola, lies Corradino Correctional Facility. Once a symbol of deterrence, it now stands as a stark reminder of Europe’s overcrowding crisis, according to a recent report by the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT).

Overcrowding: A Persistent Problem

Corradino, Malta’s largest prison, is designed to hold 550 inmates. However, it currently houses over 800, making it one of the most overcrowded prisons in Europe. The CPT report, published in December 2021, highlights this issue, stating that “the level of overcrowding in Corradino is one of the highest observed by the CPT in any European prison.”

Overcrowding is not a new problem for Corradino. In fact, it has been a persistent issue for decades. In 2010, the European Court of Human Rights ruled against Malta in a case involving overcrowding at Corradino, ordering the government to take immediate action. Yet, the problem persists, raising concerns about the government’s commitment to addressing this pressing issue.

Life Behind Bars: A Closer Look

Overcrowding in Corradino has led to severe space constraints. Inmates are forced to sleep in shifts, with some spending their nights on mattresses laid out in corridors. Hygiene and privacy are compromised, leading to health concerns and increased tension among inmates.

Visiting hours are a challenge too. Families often have to queue for hours, with visits restricted to just 30 minutes. This, coupled with the lack of a dedicated visiting area for children, makes family visits stressful and uncomfortable.

Addressing the Crisis: Steps Taken and Needed

In response to the CPT report, the Maltese government has pledged to address the overcrowding issue. In 2021, it announced plans to build a new prison in Hal Far, with a capacity of 600 inmates. However, construction has not yet begun, and the project’s timeline remains unclear.

Meanwhile, alternative measures to reduce the prison population are being explored. These include the use of electronic monitoring and community service. However, critics argue that these measures are not enough and that more needs to be done to tackle the root causes of overcrowding, such as drug-related offenses and the backlog in court cases.

Dr. Marlene Baldacchino, a human rights lawyer, told Hot Malta, “Overcrowding is a symptom of a deeper problem in our criminal justice system. We need to address this systemically, not just by building more prisons.”

: The Need for Urgent Action

The overcrowding crisis at Corradino is not just a prison problem; it’s a societal one. It affects not just the inmates, but also their families, the prison staff, and the wider community. It’s high time we address this issue urgently and comprehensively.

We urge the government to expedite the construction of the new prison and to explore alternative measures to reduce the prison population. We also call on the public to engage in this conversation, to understand the complexities of this issue, and to demand action from our elected representatives.

After all, every inmate in Corradino is someone’s son, daughter, father, or mother. They deserve to be treated with dignity, and they deserve a chance at rehabilitation. And that’s something we can all agree on.