Claire Axiak

The Effect of Drug Rehabilitation Programmes on Prisoner Recidivism in Malta Claire Axiak

A small EU island state in the Mediterranean Sea on the doorsteps of Southern Europe and North Africa, Malta has often been described as "the Jewel of the Mediterranean" and a heaven for locals and tourists alike. However, beneath its impressive exterior and in sharp contrast with its idyllic lifestyle lies a serious social phenomenon: drug abuse. Prevalence of drug use amongst adults reaches 14% amongst those aged 18-24 years. Corradino Correctional Facility is the only correctional institution in Malta and houses all people who have been remanded in custody or convicted by the local courts. Inmates on drug-related offences who satisfy a number of criteria and pass an assessment by the Prison Substance Abuse Assessment Board are given permission to attend a prison inmate program for the rest of their custodial sentence. In this study Axiak analyses the efficacy, or otherwise, of the three local prison inmate programs in reducing recidivism amongst inmates at the national prison. The authors also identifies predictors and risk factors for reoffending with implications for future risk management.