Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/488485
MATTHEW AGIUS Criminologist Saviour Formosa has suggested that persons suffering from acute dementia be electronically tagged and monitored to prevent them from getting lost without having to draw on major policing resources. "The economies of scale to tag people who have committed certain crimes show that the system would be too expensive," Formosa told the press yesterday. "So we thought different ways in which tagging could be used." Formosa said that Malta's ageing society will see a growth of people aged 60-70 forming 25% of the population. "10,000 will suffer from acute dementia, and these people will get lost, and die… so let's help them by offering a monitoring service." Dementia is usually associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person's ability to perform everyday activities. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60% to 80% of cases. "With this method we would be there for these sufferers years before something happens. Crimi- nality is not only something between an offender and a victim – there could be victims where there are no offenders. So let's be there to mitigate it." St Julian's has retained the dubious crown of Malta's most crime-ridden town, playing host to over five times the national rate of offences, ac- cording to CrimeMalta's annual crime report for 2014. The report, compiled by Dr Saviour Formosa, lists a declining number of thefts, fraud and violence against public officers in the past year. Forgery, computer misuse, drugs and sexual of- fences have also declined, whilst pornography, bodily harm and prostitution have experienced "slight increases". However, reports of domestic violence have increased tenfold between 2007 and 2014, while threats and public violence have "practically tri- pled" since 2008. WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT WEDNESDAY EDITION WEDNESDAY • 1 APRIL 2015 • ISSUE 409 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY €1.00 EDITORIAL PAGE 10 MALTATODAY has always prided itself on its active, engaged readership. In order to give our readers a platform of their own, we have launched the Mal- taToday Observer, a chance for users to voice opinions, display their images and videos and share different aspects of their lives. MaltaToday Observer will provide a home for user-generated content on a variety of topics. Each 'assignment' may run for only a few days or for several months, giving users the chance to sub- mit their own contributions, view those of others and discuss with fellow users. User-generated content may also be included in current news articles, mak- ing our contributors an important part of developing stories. We will always credit the use of images or videos. In essence, our users will have the chance to shape the way we bring readers the news. Sign in at http://observer.maltatoday. com.mt/ to have your say MediaToday launches platform for online contributions CONTINUES PAGE 7 Newspaper post Electronic tagging 'could save lives' of dementia sufferers Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Opposition leader Simon Busuttil share a light moment at the Freedom Day monument in Birgu where the 36th anniversary of the departure of British forces was commemorated. PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD SEE PHOTOS ON PAGE 2