"Leveraging Attorneys' Pro Bono Impact!" Series (Part 3) Prison Reform: 2024 JRF Prison Reform Committee Recruitment Sharing Session

Behind thick and towering concrete walls, human rights within correctional institutions are the most easily overlooked.

In 2012, the Judicial Reform Foundation filed its first public interest lawsuit to help prison inmates fight for the rights they deserve. At that time, letters written by Chiou Ho-shun, who had been wrongfully sentenced to death, were prohibited from being mailed. With the assistance of the JRF, we filed an administrative lawsuit and a constitutional interpretation petition. The Grand Justices subsequently issued Judicial Yuan Interpretation No. 756, declaring that inmates' freedom of secret communication shall be protected.

Over a decade later, regarding institutional reforms, we have participated in and monitored the amendments to the Prison Act and all related subsidiary legislation, and regularly reviewed inspection reports submitted by external inspection committees established under the new law. In cases involving inmates facing solitary confinement, improper censorship of correspondence, treatment of psychiatric patients in prison, and whether those undergoing corrective training with major illnesses should be released for medical treatment, we have filed petitions with the Control Yuan and held press conferences. All such monitoring relies on the professionalism and dedication of the many pro bono attorneys in the Prison Committee.

To invite more attorneys interested in prison- and inmate-related litigation and disputes to join us, this "Leveraging Attorneys' Pro Bono Impact: Prison Reform Edition | 2024 JRF Prison Reform Committee Recruitment Sharing Session" will be held on Sunday, March 3, 2024, from 14:00 to 16:10 via online Google Meet.

We have invited Attorney Lin Tzu-cheng, Attorney Lin Chang-tso, Attorney Ch'en Wei-ch'iao, and other attorneys who have participated in the Prison Committee for many years to share their experiences in helping inmates fight for their deserved rights amidst disputes over progressive treatment and the recalculation of concurrent sentences. We also hope to invite more partners to attend the sharing session and exchange practical experiences in assisting inmates.

We believe that only by helping various prison inmates fight for their rightful rights and urging correctional institutions to reconnect with society can the sunlight pierce through the thick walls and illuminate every dark corner!

You are cordially invited to attend the 2024 JRF Prison Reform Committee Recruitment Sharing Session, and to join the Prison Committee to leverage attorneys' pro bono impact together!

Sign up for online participation

Time

Sunday, March 3, 2024, 14:00-16:10

Location

Online Google Meet meeting

Speakers

Moderators
Lo Shih-hsiang / Attorney, Convener of the Prison Committee, Executive Director of the Taiwan Association for Innocence
Lin Wei-ting / Project Researcher, Judicial Reform Foundation

Speakers
Lin Tzu-cheng / Pro Bono Attorney for the Prison Committee, Standing Executive Committee Member of the Judicial Reform Foundation
Lin Chang-tso / Pro Bono Attorney for the Prison Committee
Ch'en Wei-ch'iao / Pro Bono Attorney for the Prison Committee

Event Contact

Ch'en Kuan-chen, Legal Specialist, Judicial Reform Foundation
olivia@jrf.org.tw
02-2523-1178

Notes

If you are unable to attend at this time, you are very welcome to watch the JRF introductory video on some of our committees, and please feel free to fill out the volunteer form.

The Judicial Reform Foundation focuses on four major areas of work: legislative policy, judge and prosecutor evaluation, individual case rescue, and legal education. It has specialized committees including the "Wrongful Conviction Rescue Committee," "Prison Committee," "Judge and Prosecutor Individual Case Evaluation Committee," "Gender Judicial Reform Committee," "Police, Prosecutor and Investigator Reform Committee," "Criminal Procedure Act Reconstruction and Amendment Committee," "Digital Rule of Law Committee," "Judicial Burden Reduction and Judgment Quality Enhancement Committee," and "Legal Education Committee." We look forward to attorney volunteers joining us to jointly promote these initiatives!