Written by Amy Mifsud
The number of women serving time at Corradino Correctional Facility has spiked to the highest figure in over 15 years. As of February 2021, there were 58 female prisoners, making up 7.1% of the prison population, whilst back in 2005, there were merely 14 women in prison.
This increase in women prisoners has been seen all across Europe with many laying the blame on the mistaken perception of the courts that prison is a place where women can receive drug treatment and mental health services.
Unbalanced Opportunities
Women in prison are generally more stigmatised than male prisoners and often have reduced access to treatment, programmes, and activities. This was seen even in our own prison facility at Corradino, with one article in 2018 pointing out that women prisoners did not have the opportunity to work and study as the males did. There is, however, a logistical explanation for this, in that the female wing has never occupied more than 50 prisoners until recently, whilst the male wing has seen an occupancy level upward of 500 ever since 2009. Although it is strategically more appropriate to have more opportunities given to the section of the prison with larger occupancy, it is hardly justifiable.
A case which was finalised back in 2018, detailed that seven transgender inmates were given €5000 each in damages relating to their treatment while at Corradino. The prison is well known for being a derelict, hopeless place with this being confirmed by these inmates who had to use blood-stained mattresses and were placed in dirty cells which had previously been used as storage rooms. It seems however, that the situation at the prison drastically improved after the appointment of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Dalli as prison director in 2018.
Who are these ‘Imprisoned Women’?
Female prisoners mostly come from marginal groups with troubled backgrounds. When it comes to female prisoners, there is also the issue of their problematic backgrounds, with many women prisoners coming from marginal groups. This creates a complex history of abuse, self-harm, homelessness, poor physical and reproductive health, and problematic relationships. These factors would have had a large impact on their mental health, with the
situation often being intensified by drug and alcohol abuse. Many women also tend to worry a great deal about children. Studies have shown that 30% of female prisoners have previously been admitted to hospital for psychiatric needs whilst only 10% of male prisoners have had the same experience (Department of Health,2007).
Imprisoned, Isolated…
The isolation women face in prison may also be reminiscent of the isolation they felt during their abusive childhoods, therefore, making them relive that horrible situation. Furthermore, the inability to contact their loved ones outside, at any given time, can take a great toll on a person’s mental health. This combined with the lack of support they receive in prison can have detrimental consequences. Many women in prison perceive themselves as being below others
and tend to have a great lack of self-esteem and fear of failure. They also tend to blame themselves for the abuse they received either as a child or from their partner. Some have become so accustomed to abuse that they view it as a form of affection. These women portray a total lack of confidence and trust, as well as great difficulty to form appropriate, long-lasting relationships in their personal and professional lives.
The ‘Prison Environment’
The prison setting infantilizes offenders causing them to become dependent on prison staff. The prison environment forces women who previously had almost full control over their own lives, to be dependent on prison staff for even the most basic of needs as well as having to obey a higher authority which at times imposes arbitrary disciplinary rules. Whilst many women find the prison setting traumatising due to the lack of privacy and autonomy, others view it as some sort of reprieve from their home life which may have been abusive.
Many female prisoners are often subjected to increased stigmatisation than their male counterparts as well as bullying and/or sexual assault from other prisoners or even prison staff. Although it is justifiable that these prisoners should lose some form of control over their lives as part of their punishment, it is evident that there is an imbalance of power and a lack of equality in treatment between men and women. It is also inexcusable for women to be subject to emotional and physical harm by prison staff, no matter the crime they have been convicted for.
A positive turn for Corradino Correctional Facility?
Back in 2018, there were merely three mental health and healthcare professionals working within our prison facility. This number has radically increased to 23 as of September 2020 including professionals such as social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, care plan coordinators and doctors and nurses. These professionals noted that inmates find most difficulty with discovering coping mechanisms to handle the loss of freedom and anxiety they feel on admission into the prison. This is contrary to popularly suspected issues such as aggressive thoughts.
According to Malta’s Mental Health Strategy for 2020 to 2030, prisoners suffering from a serious mental illness and those who are in need of constant in-house support are currently all treated together at Mount Carmel Hospital’s Forensic Unit. This strategy has also acknowledged the gap in mental health services available for forensic patients and has determined that in order to move forward, the entire service needs to be addressed thus, a group of stakeholders from various sectors must be set up.
Positive Conclusions
To end on a positive note I must say, over the past few years Malta has taken incredible strides in bringing awareness and updating legislation regarding mental health, especially with the formation of a Mental Health Strategy for 2020-2030 which acknowledges mental health across various sectors. However, improvements still must be made in order to better facilitate the mental wellbeing of inmates during their time at prison as well as upon their release
