|
Abstract In 2005, the Legislative Yuan passed amendments to the Criminal Code, introducing Japan's policy of "broadening and strengthening criminal justice" to Taiwan, drawing inspiration from the US "Three Strikes Laws". These amendments explicitly prohibit parole for third-time offenders of serious crimes and impose life imprisonment without parole for certain severe offenses. This study aims to investigate the impact of the "Three Strikes Laws" introduced in the criminal code amendments on the management and operations of correctional institutions. The core of this legislation focuses on restricting parole for repeat offenders of serious crimes, aiming to strengthen social isolation policies for serious criminals and encourage offenders to reform. Therefore, particular attention is given to the challenges faced by front-line correctional officers following the implementation of the "Three Strikes Laws". The implementation of the "Three Strikes Laws" has led to prolonged periods of incarceration for chronic offenders such as recidivists, due to provisions prohibiting parole or revoking it. Many inmates now face sentences of thirty, forty years, or de facto life imprisonment, posing significant challenges in correctional facility management. This serves as one of the primary motivations for this study. Strategies employed by prison authorities towards inmates sentenced under the "Three Strikes Laws" have historically been constrained, often neglecting their specific needs. Incidents such as the Kaohsiung Prison riot highlight management issues following the implementation of these laws. Despite recent studies and policy interpretations, whether the conditions of over a thousand inmates sentenced under the "Three Strikes Laws" have genuinely improved remains a secondary motivation for research. This study employs qualitative research methods, conducting interviews with five front-line correctional officers to gain deeper insights into the problems faced by prisons and their coping strategies post-implementation of the "Three Strikes Laws". Based on the findings, the study proposes several recommendations, including enhancements in security measures, strengthening of body search and access control management, attention to aging prison populations and suicide risks, updates in surveillance and inspection equipment, improvements in implementation details, establishment of effective tracking and evaluation mechanisms, enhancements in human resource allocation, provision of psychological support services, reinforcement of family and social support, and provision of educational and vocational training opportunities. In conclusion, the government should consider corresponding supportive measures, especially within the correctional system, when introducing the "Three Strikes Laws". This includes tailoring correctional plans for different types of offenders and ensuring V adequate manpower and infrastructure support to effectively implement the laws, thereby improving the correctional system and achieving better correctional outcomes and societal safety standards.
|