Prison expenditure in 2020 stood at €24 million

Prison expenditure in 2020 stood at €24 million, information tabled in parliament shows.

The information was tabled in parliament by Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri following a parliamentary question by Nationalist MP Chris Said.

Capital expenditure at the Corradino Correctional Facility (CCF) stood at €1.7 million, while recurrent expenditure stood at €22.3 million in 2020.

The minister said that there are currently 736 inmates at the CCF, of which 320 are Maltese and 416 are foreigners.

Camilleri said that each inmate costs prison authorities around €100 daily.

Increase in total expenditure was recorded almost yearly over the last decade.

In 2019, total expenditure stood at €18.2 million, up from €15.2 million in 2018.

Prison spending in 2017 stood at €12.4, up from €11.5 million in 2016.

Yearly increases in expenditure were also recorded in 2013, 2014 and 2015 at €9.7 million, €10.3 million and €11 million respectively.

2012 was the only year when prison expenditure registered a decrease over the previous year, at €9.283 million, down from €9.319 million in 2011.

Total expenditure in 2010 stood at €9.2 million.

Prisoners serving drug related sentences

In a separate parliamentary question, the minister said that are currently 100 inmates serving prison sentences over drug offences.

34 people are serving sentences over conspiracy to traffic drugs, two for the cultivation of drugs, 10 over the importation of drugs and 28 for the possession and trafficking of narcotics.

11 inmates are serving a prison sentence for the possession of drugs and 15 over the possession of drugs with the intention to distribute.