Is probation a meaningful alternative to prison? : an analysis of the situation in Malta

Abstract

Imprisonment, as a means of preventing crime, is an acknowledged failure. We know that, though prison populations rise, crime does not fall. In fact in a very recent study carried by Mr Albert Bell at the University of Malta (January 1995). l resulted that reported crime rates increased and the same can be said for the prison population. We also know that when a man goes to prison it does not lessen but often increases the chance that he will offend again. The last decade has seen the centrality of the prison within Western systems of criminal justice confirmed. Despite arguments raised in favour of decarceration and alternatives to custody, prison populations in Western Europe, including Malta, and North America have generally continued to rise. There are other ways and they promise far better results. In Britain, Community Service has made a good start and other methods such as probation have proved to be effective. In America, whole prisons stand empty because all their inmates are now being dealt with in the community outside. In Holland, Japan and other countries alternatives to prisons are being used and pioneered. This new approach not only gives better results than imprisonment; it also costs less, even leaving aside the waste of lives. [...]