2024 Judicial Reform Thesis and Dissertation Grant Program

1. Program Objective

To promote judicial reform, guide policy research capacity, and cultivate talent, the Judicial Reform Foundation (hereinafter referred to as "the Foundation") has formulated the "Regulations on Grants for Judicial Reform Theses and Dissertations," encouraging the academic community to engage in research on judicial reform issues through the awarding of grants, sponsorship of printing and publication, and hosting of thesis presentations.

2. Eligible Applicants and Grant Amounts

To encourage research and ensure fairness in the review process, this grant program only accepts applications for uncompleted theses and dissertations.

1. Doctoral Dissertations
   Grant amount: NTD 80,000 in total. Upon passing the first-stage research proposal review, a grant of NTD 30,000 will be awarded. Upon passing the second-stage final manuscript review, a grant of NTD 50,000 will be awarded.
2. Master's Theses
   Grant amount: NTD 50,000 in total. Upon passing the first-stage research proposal review, a grant of NTD 20,000 will be awarded. Upon passing the second-stage final manuscript review, a grant of NTD 30,000 will be awarded.
3. Independent Papers
   Grant amount: NTD 30,000 to NTD 80,000 in total. Upon passing the first-stage research proposal review, a grant of NTD 10,000 to NTD 30,000 will be awarded. Upon passing the second-stage final manuscript review, a grant of NTD 20,000 to NTD 70,000 will be awarded. Independent papers must be at least 20,000 words in length, and the grant amount shall be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Thesis Review Committee based on the research proposal and the final manuscript.

3. Research Topics

The funded theses and dissertations must focus on issues related to judicial reform, including but not limited to the academic fields of law, political science, sociology, forensic science, legal education, and human rights conventions. The priority research topics for 2024 are as follows:

1. Research related to Criminal Law:

   • Research on criminal litigation systems strengthening fact-finding at trial
   • Research on public participation in criminal trials
     In addition to legal theories, institutional establishment, and empirical research on the "國民法官法" (Citizen Judges Act), this also includes, but is not limited to, research in sociology, education, psychology, and other fields related to this system.
   • Research on technological investigation
     Including, but not limited to, research on investigative methods, legislative policies, and comparative law regarding the Ministry of Justice's draft "Technological Investigation Act."
   • Research on wrongful conviction relief systems
     Including, but not limited to, research on the "Criminal Conviction Review Commission" (CCRC) or the Review Committee for Finalized Conviction Cases of the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office; review of retrial or extraordinary appeal systems.
   • Research on penal institution reform
     Including, but not limited to, research on external prison inspection systems, juvenile correctional education, and the voting rights of inmates.
   • Research on criminal disposition for persons with mental disabilities
     Including, but not limited to, research on issues related to provisional placement, custodial disposition (監護處分), and forensic psychiatric hospitals.
   • Research on criminal compensation systems
     Including, but not limited to, empirical and legal research utilizing the "Database of Taiwan Criminal Compensation Cases" published by the Foundation.

2. Research on civil litigation systems strengthening fact-finding at trial
   Including, but not limited to, research on the reform of civil expert testimony systems and the review of rules of evidence.

3. Research on the Judicial System:

   • Research on alleviating judicial burdens
     Including, but not limited to, research on revitalizing and reallocating judicial manpower, adjusting prosecutors' powers and responsibilities, and improving litigation procedures or workflows.
   • Research on judicial accountability
     Including, but not limited to, research on evaluation systems for judges or prosecutors and strengthening the effectiveness of administrative supervision by judicial heads.
   • Research on the application of artificial intelligence in the judiciary

4. Research on the protection of rights and legal systems for crime victims
   Including, but not limited to, research on compensation systems, protection organizations, and litigation participation related to the "Crime Victim Rights Protection Act."

5. Research on improving the quality of judicial appraisal and forensics
   Including, but not limited to, research on the establishment of standard operating procedures for forensic science professional standards by the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC) in the United States; research on the domestic construction and adjustment of related systems.

6. Research on the protection of the rights of persons with mental disabilities
   Including, but not limited to, research on issues related to the 2022 amendments to the "Mental Health Act," and how corresponding subsidiary legislation should be formulated.

7. Research on the attorney system
   Including, but not limited to, research on establishing a professional certification system for attorneys, increasing public accessibility to attorney services, and strengthening attorney ethics, conduct, and disciplinary systems; historical, sociological, political, or other interdisciplinary research on attorneys as legal professionals participating in public policy and rule-of-law collaboration.

4. Application Procedures

1. Application Period: From June 3, 2024 (Monday) to July 31, 2024 (Wednesday).

2. Application documents (please download the application form format from the bottom of the page)

   • Application Form

   • Thesis/Dissertation Research Proposal

   • Recommendation Letter from an Advisor or Scholar/Expert

3. Please email the electronic files of the application documents to "pbz@jrf.org.tw" with the subject line "Application for 2024 Judicial Reform Thesis and Dissertation Grant Program." Recipient: Pan Pei-chen. Telephone: 02-25231178 ext. 16. After submitting the application documents, please make a phone call to confirm receipt.

5. Review Methods

(Please refer to Attachment 3, "Regulations on Grants for Judicial Reform Theses and Dissertations," for details)

1. The first-stage review by the Thesis Review Committee is divided into an initial written review and an oral re-examination. The list of successful applicants will be announced, and grants awarded, before October 1st of each year.
2. Applicants accepted in the first-stage review shall submit their completed thesis or dissertation within the following deadlines:
   (1) Doctoral dissertations: Three years.
   (2) Master's theses: Two years.
   (3) Independent papers: One to three years, determined on a case-by-case basis by the Thesis Review Committee according to the submission schedule of the research proposal.
   The deadline begins on October 1st of the year of selection. Those who fail to submit their thesis or dissertation past the deadline shall forfeit their qualification for the second-stage review.
   Applicants may apply in writing with stated reasons for an extension of the thesis submission deadline, which shall not exceed one year and may only be applied for once.
3. The second-stage review by the Thesis Review Committee is divided into external review and final deliberation. The list of those who pass the second-stage review will be announced, and grants awarded, before January 11th of each year.

6. Rights and Obligations

(Please refer to Attachment 3, "Regulations on Grants for Judicial Reform Theses and Dissertations," for details)

1. Recipients shall not apply for awards, grants, or subsidies from other government agencies or social organizations using the same thesis or dissertation. In the event of a violation of the prohibition on duplicate grants, the applicant's qualification as a recipient shall be cancelled, and the full amount of the grant received shall be refunded.

2. Applicants must ensure that the content of their thesis or dissertation is free from plagiarism, adaptation, infringement, or other violations of academic ethics or copyright regulations. In the event of any violation or infringement, the applicant's qualification as a recipient shall be cancelled, and the grant received shall be refunded in full.

3. Upon official publication of the funded thesis or dissertation, the following statement shall be indicated on the first page: "This work was supported by a grant from the Judicial Reform Foundation, which is hereby gratefully acknowledged."

4. Recipients shall agree to grant the Foundation a royalty-free license, without geographical, temporal, or stylistic limitations, to publicly display, exhibit, and transmit the full contents of their thesis or dissertation work.

7. Other Awards and Incentives

The Foundation may additionally reward recipients through public commendations, organizing thesis presentations, or other activities; and may promote the funded theses and dissertations by subsidizing printing costs, publishing monographs or special issues, or through other means. Reward activities and promotion methods shall be decided by resolution of the Thesis Review Committee.

Related Document Downloads

1. Application Form for the 2024 Judicial Reform Thesis and Dissertation Grant Program
2. 2024 Judicial Reform Thesis and Dissertation Grant Program
3. Regulations on Grants for Judicial Reform Theses and Dissertations