New Birgu Halfway House Will Help Prisoners Reintegrate Into Society
A new halfway house intended to help prisoners reintegrate into society has officially opened in Birgu.
The building, which is called Dar Bla Ħitan (Home Without Walls), will have space for five prisoners who are reaching the end of their sentences.
These prisoners will undertake a 12-18 month programme, which will include intensive therapy and contact with their relatives, to try and make sure they don’t slip back into crime once they complete their sentences.
The programme will be operated by the Mid-Dlam għad Dawl Foundation and funded by the government.
This is the second halfway house for prisoners on the island, and Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said it is a sign of the government’s commitment towards rehabilitating prisoners.
“This is the home of second chances, a home where hope is the last to die and that will focus on rehabilitating prisoners into society as better human beings,” he said.
Housing Minister Roderick Galdes added that the home will give prisoners and their families hope to “keep looking forward and embark on the path of integration, in the wide sense of the word”.
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