Winter Reading Group｜Key Readers for Prison External Inspection Reports Needed!

Inmates are citizens wearing "prison uniforms," not "outcasts" abandoned by the constitutional protection of fundamental rights.

——Concurring Opinion to Judicial Yuan Interpretation No. 755, Grand Justice Hsu Tzung-li

The Grand Justices have proclaimed that inmates are equally entitled to the protection of fundamental rights under the Constitution; however, this should not remain mere rhetoric. Inmates are individuals deprived of their liberty due to criminal offenses, and once deprived of liberty, their daily lives are practically in the hands of the state, leaving them with little autonomy over their destiny. Furthermore, the high walls of correctional facilities not only isolate the physical bodies of inmates, but also prevent those living within from being seen by society. The various problems and difficulties occurring inside are not necessarily known to the outside world. If we hope that the protection of inmates' fundamental rights is more than just a slogan, we must establish relevant rights-protection mechanisms.

The newly amended Prison Act was promulgated and came into effect in 2020. One of its key focuses is the establishment of independent external inspection panels for each correctional facility. The concept behind this system is to maximize transparency within prisons, thereby reducing human rights violations on one hand, and helping the outside world better understand the problems or difficulties faced by prisons on the other, creating opportunities for improvement by directly confronting these matters. To implement the principle of transparency, the new Prison Act requires prison external inspection panels to submit reports, allowing the public to better understand the actual conditions in prisons and to examine the operation of this external inspection mechanism.

The Judicial Reform Foundation has consistently monitored the operation of prison external inspections following the implementation of the new Act. We have read and submitted comments on the first batch of external inspection reports from all correctional facilities. In November 2022, the prison external inspection panels underwent a turnover, and the second-generation panels took office. They have successively submitted eight quarters of inspection reports so far. The reports up for reading this time are the final inspection reports from the second-generation prison external inspection panels.

We invite friends who care about prison issues and wish to contribute their efforts to read the inspection reports from various prison external inspection panels. Finally, everyone's insights and questions will be compiled and submitted to the respective prison external inspection panels. Depending on the students' questions, we may invite rehabilitated individuals, practitioners, and external inspection panel members to share their experiences, or arrange prison visits.

Participation Format

Purely online, no physical meetings

Registration Prerequisites

A concern for prison issues coupled with a curious and inquisitive mind.

Recruitment Quota

6 participants (12 slots open for registration. If applications exceed 6 persons, selection will favor those who can participate throughout and show stronger motivation)

Content

• Reading the external inspection reports of various correctional facilities. Finally, compiling everyone's insights or questions to submit to the respective prison external inspection panels.
• Depending on students' questions, inviting rehabilitated individuals, practitioners, and external inspection panel members to share experiences, or arranging prison visits.

＊This prison external inspection report reading activity is co-organized by the Judicial Reform Foundation and the "Faint Glimmer - Prison External Inspection Report Reading Project and Death Row Correspondence Project under the University Social Responsibility Practice Plan" hosted by Professor Lu Ying-chieh of National Chung Cheng University.