In an unprecedented move, Times of Malta has been granted extensive access to film inside prison, and the footage is being released today on Times Talk.

The 45-minute documentary offers a unique glimpse into the inner workings of the Corradino Correctional Facility (CCF), a few weeks after a shocking and damning ombudsman report revealed details of inmate mistreatment between 2018 and 2021.

The documentary captured scenes from divisions, cells and other restricted areas, providing a taste of the reality of incarceration within the British-era structure, which currently houses over 700 inmates.

The tour, which lasted over four hours, revealed some divisions badly need refurbishing but also showcased several ongoing efforts to modernise the facility.

A new division for recently admitted inmates has been opened, and several British-era divisions are being refurbished. Plans are underway for a new division and a building for offices and other facilities such as visiting rooms.

Additionally, a new industrial-standard kitchen is being modernised and expanded, and a recently opened designer-built education centre aims to provide inmates and officers with enhanced learning opportunities.

A prison cell in the female wing. Photo: Karl Andrew Micallef

During the tour, prison director Chris Siegersma also fielded the more difficult questions about the worrying state of the building, prison overcrowding and disgruntlement among prison officials, among others.

He also addressed the issues around solitary confinement and the often controversial maximum-security division – Division Six.

A cell window in one of the older prison divisions.  Photo: CCF

Times of Malta's request to film inside the CCF followed an ombudsman's report detailing allegations of degradation and mistreatment during the tenure of former director Alex Dalli, between 2018 and 2021, a period marked by 14 inmate deaths, many by suicide.

Times of Malta specifically sought access to cells highlighted in the report, including a solitary confinement cell described as subjecting inmates to “degrading treatment verging on the inhuman”.

Mark Laurence Zammit was given a tour by prison director Chris Siegersma. Photo: Rodney Farrugia

Siegersma, a 41-year-old psychiatric nurse specialising in psychological trauma, assumed his role as prison boss in 2023 after serving as prison welfare commissioner.

During the tour he highlighted the prison's focus on rehabilitation, emphasising the importance of a drug-free environment. He said that drug testing doubled during his tenure, with nearly two-thirds of the prison population tested monthly.

Notably, all tests over the past 12 months have been negative, a factor Siegersma credits as vital to encouraging inmates to participate in education and work programs.

He also said he is opposed to solitary confinement and would abolish it if he had the power to change the laws.

Currently, the CCF houses 732 inmates, with the majority aged between 31 and 40. The prison also accommodates 24 inmates under the age of 22 and five inmates between 71 and 80.

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