Josette Bickle
Published:
December 16, 2011 at 10:24pm
What a scandal. Imagine being a prisoner, trapped in that situation. Even if you have a Prisons Ombudsman, prisoners are going to be too frightened to file a report against their warders and fellow prisoners.
And what a textbook example of the creation of master-slave relationships, and of how psychopaths/sociopaths rise to dominance.
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A landmark judgment that would have made that eminent Maltese jurist, Mr Justice Mallia’s late father Pawlu, proud.
Oh yes, very landmark indeed. And it’s eminent jurists who got us into this mess, by shielding themselves off from reality in their jurisprudential dreamworld.
I was hoping, and waiting, for you to write something about this sorry example of mankind. I am disappointed as I wanted you to write much more. No one can write better than you (in my opinion ehh, ghax jahtfuni inkella),
They sent her back to prison where, in a few days or months time, she will go back to her old ways.
This is one case where I am all for the death sentence, and I know I will be chided by saying this, but I don`t really care.
She surely doesn`t deserve any better. Not only did she traffic drugs in prison, she made double the profits too.
And she lived like a queen.Can you imagine a mother or father, whose son or daughter is sent to prison to try stop them taking drugs?
There are people who make mistakes and are sent to prison to reform, repent, and try to make something of their life. And I am sure that this is what families of prisoners hope and pray for.
U imbaghad jsibu lil Mrs. Bickle tqassmilhom bl-ikbar liberta` id-droga u titfaghhom f-iktar abbissi. U il-kbarat jappoggjawha, forsi ittihom il-pecentage. X`disastru shih , veru tal-biki. Miskin hu min inzerta hemm gew maghha, ja vili.
[Daphne – I agree with you wholeheartedly, Pat. I am glad that at least she got 12 years, and that the judge did not give her life, though it is not for the reasons which he spoke about (that she was involved with others, a fact which I believe is irrelevant for sentencing). If she got life, she would have had every incentive to behave even worse in jail then before, because if you’re not getting out, you’re not getting out, so you might as well do as your please. There is no worse punishment than life and prisons are not allowed to keep prisoners in solitary confinement for an unlimited period. Coincidentally, I had just been reading reviews of the book Evil Genes, with a view to buying it: http://www.evilgenes.com . This woman Josette Bickle is a perfect illustration. Ironically, and perhaps even tragically, had she been born a man in the United States in the 19th century, she would probably have become a tycoon. And had she been born either a man or a woman a thousand years ago anywhere, she would have become a tyrant or a tyrant’s consort. But she was born in a Valletta slum in the 20th century, so she became a heroin dealer.]
A simple CCTV system in every corner of the prison would have sufficed to know how she managed to get hold and traffic drugs in prison. I’m more than sure Bickle was not alone in all this.
The problem in Malta has never been knowing things, but actually doing something when they are known. Surveillance cameras solve nothing.
There are CCTV cameras in prison by the score. The visiting area for contact visits has cameras from every angle; people are strip searched if suspected and people are frequently caught and brought to court and end up in prison.
Everything is recorded in the control room.
Inmates who are suspected of drug abuse have their urine tested . If found positive they will have less ‘liberties’.
In prison one cannot bring in garlic, cannot carry a pencil or pen, cannot have a piece of aluminum foil, no mobile phones and no internet connection on their laptops, pornographic videos are against prison rules.
In prison an inmate can have an intimate moment with his partner without CCTV surveillance once every month.
There are some prisoners who can walk around prison doing maintenance work and helping in canteen and stores and the day to day running of the prison.
Hardened criminals are in Division Six and cannot go out.
Prisoners spend most of their time assembling Playmobil toys to gain money, or playing football or in the games room.
They have an allowance if they keep their cell clean. Transvestites who are pigeonholed as men can be seen together with other male inmates walking hand in hand.
Warders are being trained in martial arts and even the prison director is taking the training seriously. They are even trained in the use of fire arms.
I don’t know how things were three years ago but with the constant CCTV , phone and airwaves surveillance from the control room and the warders it is difficult if not impossible, to do anything without being noticed.
Warders are tough people and if you misbehave you get punishments, while if you behave you will be granted certain liberties.
People who behaved well were even granted permission to go to certain public events while guarded.
Bickle is a heroin addict. Some addicts are better than others at taking advantage of a situation. The real culprits are those who allow such situations to happen.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111217/local/Life-and-times-of-the-Drugs-Queen.398690
Not surprised. We have been seeing a general degenaration in the police force and related structures over the last 10 years. I think it’s actually one of the areas where Gonzi government has been struggling, due to inherent weakness in tackling tough situations head on. You give these guys a finger, they take your bloody house. Agree with Pat, this deserves Sunday column.
[Daphne – I’ve written it already.]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMsGvYzedjA