Review of offender management in the Maltese Islands

Abstract

The legislative situation in Malta is a rapidly evolving one with proposals for change on restorative justice pointing to a widening of the system of offender management that will enable alternative methods of management as yet never introduced in the Maltese Islands. This document reviewed the legislation as well as the crime situation to ensure that readers are aware of the current situation as well as provide a background for the eventual data analysis.

The analysis showed that there is vast potential for the employment of various alternative measures to the current systems, inclusive of the management of offenders though a wider-house arrest system, review of the current suspended sentence, more community service orders, reduction of the prison population especially those awaiting trial and the employment of measures for the introduction of parole. All these changes will require an enhanced monitoring strategy which should ensure the enhancement of security for the community at large as well as ensure that offenders are adequately monitored against the potential of relapse. Taking a full take-up scenario against a conservative one for the different categories one can reach an estimate of a potential of 1000 for the full take-up as against 400 for the conservative figures.