It is Malta’s largest and main correctional facility; hosting different sections for males, females, and children.

On November 28, 1942, the irredentist Carmelo Borg Pisani was executed by hanging in the prison for treason and conspiracy against His Majesty's government.

[1] In 1999 the juvenile wing was built with 36 cells[2] Since 2005 the prison hosts the only Maltese serial killer, Silvio Mangion sentenced to life imprisonment in 2010.

In 2011 the percentage of juvenile detainees (6.1%) was the highest among those in the countries belonging to the European Union.

[5] In 2014, 205 people worked in the prison including 18 policemen from the Malta Police Force.