Corradino’s disciplinarian governor says he has eliminated drugs from prison

The retired Armed Forces colonel running Malta’s correctional facility at Corradino claims he has turned the CCF from a chaotic den of criminality into a “disciplined and productive” place of correction in under two years.

Col. (retd) Alexander Dalli has acquired a reputation due to his disciplinarian tactics inside CCF, a fact confirmed by the Catholic anti-drugs charity Caritas. But the incoming prison director insists his drastic tactics have disrupted an underground economy which he claims is valued at some €2 million a year.

Today the Corradino Correctional Facility houses something in the region of 700 inmates. The prison authorities give a cautious estimate of 55% of these inmates being drug addicts upon admission to the facility, which equates to around 385 inmates.

By all accounts, Dalli runs a tight ship. His philosophy in running the prison, which observers insist comes with an iron fist of sorts, is based on respect. “Respect goes down before it goes up. Prisoners know I respect them and I get their respect in return. Communication is also important. Prisoners must understand why we make certain decisions so I make sure that all measures are communicated to prisoners in the right manner. A drug-free prison is an endeavour I believe in. No drugs equates to no fighting.”

Dalli credits a solid team of prison officers with his success in driving out drugs from CCF, insisting that staff morale is high through new uniforms, new rank structures, career paths “and the best equipment money can buy”.

To critics who accuse Dalli of being harsh, employing an unorthodox form of discipline, the prison director insists he is “fair”.

“It is all about setting an example and seeking fairness, by giving the prisoners what is theirs by right and by making them earn their privileges. This system promotes good behaviour as prisoners can see for themselves that we treat everyone equally. On the other hand, prison is not just about discipline. We deal with individuals who also need help and guidance, so we do our utmost to assist them in finding the help they need.”

Dalli’s commitment to turn CCF into a drug-free zone has seen him spare no expense, installing body scanners at all entrances to catch the smallest item of contraband on any person entering the prison.

“It is no secret that there are no drugs in prison in Malta,” Dalli said. “This is no secret. Multiple avenues indicate that the prison is drug free. No drugs at all. Zero,” he declares.

He says there was a time when drug smuggling and use were rife in prison, which he estimates at some €100 worth of drugs consumed by each addict every week on average. Families would pay their debts on the outside, for transactions carried out in prison. Between January and May, Dalli carried out 1,364 drug tests: none of these were positive.

“In the past, family members would sometimes smuggle drugs in food, which led to the need for food parcels to be painstaking dissected by prison staff, along with every package. This is no longer required, as every item heading into the facility is also scanned. Undoubtedly, technology helps,” Dalli says.

“To enforce discipline, you need to practise discipline. That is why we also embarked on getting our house in order. Those officers who weren’t used to working in such a disciplined environment realised this was no longer the place for them.

“I also feel it’s important for me to be present. You cannot run a prison by sitting behind a desk all day long. I spend my full day going around the Divisions, speaking to officers and prisoners so that they know they have a shoulder to rely on.”

And while Dalli would not disclose specifics of his methods, critics says the prison director is a hands-on guardian when it comes to dispensing discipline, with canines at hand to impress  his severity upon his guests.

“For obvious reasons I cannot disclose sensitive information but the fact that we have eliminated the use of drugs in prison has helped. That said, officers are trained and well-equipped for any eventuality that may arise,” Dalli replies.

“I think that in my role as director of prison it’s important to have a reputation for being tough. My daily job is no walk in the park, and I must be prepared to face all sorts of issues that crop up. I believe that in my job it’s crucial to be able to adapt to the situation at hand. I need to be tough when I need to be but sensitive at other moments. It all depends on the situation. In my previous career in the Army, I was a search-and-rescue pilot. I am used to working in very arduous situations so perhaps having lived through that for so many years has had its effect.”

Charity Caritas has long been working with inmates and drug users, and spokesperson Marica Cassar told MaltaToday that the organisation had witnessed the CCF’s transformation from veritable drugs bazaar into a drugs-free zone.

“There was a time when prison was synonymous with drug use… Then the new director started imposing a lot of restrictions and discipline. Drastic measures were used. Today we feel that this exercise has left a great impact. Inmates tell us that there are no drugs available in prison. Some might not like the method but the results are there.”

An outreach programme for drug-related offenders allows them to spent their last 10 months of their prison sentence in drug rehab. “I hope that prison continues to move towards becoming a place of reform for the individual,” Cassar said. “We need a model of correction that reforms the person and makes them whole again, as well as giving them new skills that they can put to use in the community.”