The Restorative Justice Act came into effect today with the publication of a legal notice in the Government Gazette.
This was announced by Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici during a performance by young prisoners 'When you hear my voice' at the Home Affairs Ministry. The prisoners shall be performing the play at St James' Cavalier between February 6 and 9.
The minister said that the main aim of the Restorative Justice Act is to offer the prisoners the possibility of reform. Through the act, the reduction of a prison sentence by up to third will no longer be automatic but would be pegged to conditions and targets for each inmate, who would be examined by an Offender Assessment Board.
The board will chart a tailormade programme of work that can include studying, work or any activity felt to be beneficial to the inmate. This will then be used as part of the assessment undertaken by one of two boards, which will decide on applications filed by prisoners who choose between parole and remission. The new Parole Board and the Remissions Board, chaired by the prisons director, will decide on the applications.
The Remission Board would be responsible...
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