Minister of Justice Luo Ying-shay (羅瑩雪) yesterday confirmed that the ministry and the Executive Yuan are assessing the prospect of a general sentence reduction for prisoners, but opposition legislators and other commentators said the idea was a mistake.
Luo said that the Executive Yuan has asked the ministry to examine the possibility of cutting jail time for prisoners, while minimizing the impact on society.
She was responding to questions by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟) at a meeting of the legislature’s Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee.
Lu first proposed the move to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) on April 15, to coincide with this year’s events commemorating the 70-year anniversary of the end of World War II, and also to alleviate prison overcrowding.
Under Lu’s proposal, jail terms for minor offenses and lighter sentences are to be cut, leading to the release of some prisoners, while inmates over the age of 65, would also be freed, but the clemency would not extend to those who had been convicted of serious crimes.
However, critics said the proposal was misguided.
Judicial Reform Foundation chief executive Kao Jung-chih (高榮志) called it “a rash and ill-considered proposal.”
“How would commemorations for the end of World War II have anything to do with the situation of Taiwan’s judiciary system and correctional facilities? This is just ridiculous,” Kao said.
“If the move was aimed at the prison crowding situation, then it should look at those serving life terms and long sentences. Luo was approaching the issue the wrong way. She seemed not to understand the main issues at correctional facilities,” Kao said.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) criticized Ma and the KMT for advancing the proposal.
“People will think it is in preparation for next year’s elections. Or maybe the sentence reduction is for Ma’s own consideration with an eye on possible criminal proceedings against him when he finishes his presidential term next year,” Huang said.
DPP Legislator Wu Yi-chen (吳宜臻) said she was concerned what the impact of such a move would have on society.
“In our nation’s experience on general amnesties and sentence reductions, the recidivism rate was high, especially for those with lighter sentences.” she said.
The proposal to reduce jail terms would not achieve any positive outcome on the rehabilitation of criminals and it would not mitigate the prison overcrowding situation, she said.
“The government must examine the high rate of recidivism among released criminals. There is also the issue of ‘restorative justice’ for victims and their families. There are also societal concerns for public safety and a rising crime rate. If these issues are not addressed, then the move shows the actions of an irresponsible government,” Wu said.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
RSS