Inmates will meet their children outside prison in new Marsa family room

Inmates residing at the Corradino Correctional Facility (CCF) will be able to spend time with their children in a new family room in Marsa this summer.

Last preparations are underway to open up the doors of a family room, with board games and children’s toys, that will serve as a space for prisoners to meet with their loved ones.

The room will be completely separate from the CCF to provide a more ideal space for children and their parents.

“In last years we made refurbishments at the facility, but it’s still not the ideal place for children to meet their parents,” Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said.

The ministry partnered with Mid-Dlam Għad-Dawl, an NGO that offers support and information to prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families.

George Busuttil, director of Mid-Dlam Għad-Dawl, noted that children with parents in prison are exposed to certain risks and taboos. “Having a parent in prison means there’s a lack of communication, personal relationship, and affection,” he said. “Thanks to this project children can keep adequate communication [with their parents].”

Robert Brincau, CEO of the Correctional Services Agency, explained that security appartus still needs to be installed in the building, but the facility should be operating by mid-summer.

“For something like this to work, the preparations are intensive,” he said.

Brincau added that access to the family room will first be limited to prisoners with lighter sentences, and security efforts will be in place to ensure the building isn’t used to transfer drugs into the prison.

“We need to make sure we know the progress and success made in the project so we can eventually expand on it,” he said.