| Abstract: | The diploma thesis presents the development of the Maltese prison system. The first part of the thesis describes the historical development of prisons and their organization, while the second part presents imprisonment trends. The literature review is based on an analysis of secondary sources, which include scientific works, as well as reports from European and national institutions. The history of Malta’s prison system is very rich due to constant sieges and conquests of the Maltese archipelago. In the earliest periods, prison sentences were rare; prisons primarily served as holding facilities for individuals awaiting execution or other forms of punishment. Proper prison institutions only began to emerge in the 16th century. With the establishment of the first prisons, the prison system became quite diverse due to the simultaneous rule of the Order of the Knights and the ecclesiastical court system, followed later by the administrations of France and Great Britain. Before Malta’s independence, various penal systems developed on the island, most of which were based on strict punitive measures. It has been established that the British model of criminal justice, along with the new legislation introduced after independence, significantly influenced the further development of Malta’s prison system, as it began gradually shifting away from a solely punitive approach, placing greater emphasis on the rehabilitation of prisoners. Educational programs, vocational training within prisons, and alternative sanctions were introduced. In Malta, imprisonment trends indicate a growing prison population. The increase in the number of incarcerated individuals is mainly due to short-term sentences, a high proportion of foreign prisoners, and a rising number of pre-trial detainees. |
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