The Ministry of Justice yesterday said that it was considering changes to prison policies, especially those regarding inmates’ families, to better rehabilitate prisoners and facilitate their reintegration into society after their release or parole.
The possible reforms include changes to prison facilities, making the parole process more transparent, introducing familial support, increasing the number of rehabilitation volunteers and helping inmates gain skill certificates, Minister of Justice Chiu Tai-san (邱太三).
Agency of Corrections Director Huang Chun-tang (黃俊棠) said overcrowding in prisons would be addressed by expansion projects for Taipei Prison, Taoyuan Prison, Second Yunlin Prison and Bade Prison in Taoyuan.
Photo: Chien Lee-chung, Taipei Times
The expansions are to accommodate a total of 4,755 prisoners in 2.31m2 cells with individual beds, he said.
Taipei Prison has 51 cellblocks, each about 19m2 to 26m2, meaning that with 16 inmates per block, each prisoner has only 1.65m2 of space, Huang said.
The expansion projects aim to eliminate overcrowding in prisons for at least four years, Chiu said.
More volunteers would be sought to carry out and improve the efficiency of individual and group rehabilitation efforts, the Ministry of Justice said.
In an effort to maintain familial relations — a key component to aid the reintegration of inmates into society — the ministry is to launch a project in which prisoners record stories for their children aged six or younger, it said.
The recordings would be made available for inmates’ family members and social welfare groups to help children cope with their fathers not being present, the ministry said, adding that the program would later be expanded to female inmates.
A number of academics and experts have been consulted in the drafting of new parole approval criteria, Chiu said.
The severity of the crime, the risk of an inmate repeating the offense and their attitude and performance during imprisonment are to be factors taken into consideration when parole applications are reviewed, he said.
The ministry said it is considering turning the current review method — in which victims and general members of the public are asked to review parole applications — into an alternative process, in which victims and social representatives would be asked to weigh in on applications via telephone or video conference.
The ministry is to allocate NT$70 million (US$2.3 million) annually to the corrections agency to have companies and organizations, such as Formosa Plastics Group (台塑集團) or Rotary International, offer courses at the prison or at alternative locations, it said.
The courses would cover more than 26 specialties, including stacker operation, baking, carpentry, pottery, electrical wiring and digital drawing, to teach inmates skills they could use to find employment upon their release or parole, the ministry said.
Correctional facilities must not only render just punishment to those who have broken the law, but also proactively re-educate them and ensure their smooth reintegration into society, Chiu said.
The Thai government on Friday announced that Taiwanese would be allowed to stay in the country for up to 60 days per entry, under the Southeast Asian country’s visa-free program starting from today. Taiwan is among 93 countries included in the Thai visa-waiver program, which has been expanded from 57 countries, with the visa-exempt entry extended from 30 to 60 days. After taking office last year, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has vowed to grant more visa waivers to foreign travelers as part of efforts to stimulate tourism. The expanded visa-waiver program was on Friday signed by Thai Minister of the Interior Anutin
BAIL APPEALS: The former vice premier was ordered to be held incommunicado despite twice being granted bail and paying a total of NT$12 million in bond The Taoyuan District Court yesterday ordered the detention of former vice premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), who is being investigated for alleged corruption while serving as Taoyuan mayor from December 2014 to December 2022, and that he be held incommunicado. The court made the ruling during a bail hearing after prosecutors appealed its bail ruling twice. Cheng on Saturday was released after posting bail of NT$5 million (US$153,818). However, after prosecutors lodged an appeal, the High Court on Monday revoked the original ruling and ordered the Taoyuan District Court to hold another bail hearing. On Tuesday, the district court granted bail to Cheng a second
PEACE AND SECURITY: China’s military ambitions present ‘the greatest strategic challenge to Japan and the world, Japan’s annual defense white paper said yesterday Japan yesterday warned that China risked escalating tensions with Taiwan with an increase in military exercises that appeared aimed in part at readying Beijing’s forces for a possible invasion. Japan’s annual assessment of security threats, including those posed by China, North Korea and Russia, comes as Taiwan closely monitors Chinese People’s Liberation Army air and sea exercises, including one with the Shandong aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. The drills are the latest in a series including maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait last year that a senior US general said would be key to any invasion. “Because of that increase in military activity,
HAN KUANG: The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers said The armed forces would for the first time test new rules of engagement (ROE) at this month’s annual Han Kuang exercises, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said yesterday. The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games, and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers told a news conference in Taipei. ROE cards would be issued to select combat troops to test their ability to function without tight control, they said. The most recent edition of the rules was published last year, they said. One of the cards’ two templates identifies enemy targets that soldiers