RISe (Rehabilitation in society Malta), a newly launched NGO aimed at helping inmates ease back into society, has come out in favour of the amnesty offered to prisoners by the government.

A spokesperson confirmed that the government had consulted with the NGO prior to the amnesty being announced. He also said that the amnesty does not go against the NGOs stated goal of rehabilitating inmates.

The NGO’s executive summary states that “the element of transition between confinement in the correctional facility and reintegration within society is expected to be more effective than the abrupt termination of confinement from the correctional facility.”

“In the present circumstances, prisoners received an amnesty that was going to make very little different as to whether they were ready to re-enter society. Such preparation should have been a long time in the making, and at present, prison is more of a punishment rather than a means of rehabilitation, therefore prisoners had a bit of their sentence reduced, rather than having any rehabilitation cut short," the spokesperson said. 

The spokesperson explained that the NGO’s programme is aimed at those prisoners who are approaching the end of their sentence, or for those who are going to be released on parole once the parole system is put in place.