Prison Complaints

Prison Complaints

If you or your relatives and friends in prison experience any of the following situations, you may contact the JRF Complaint Center:

  1. Believing that a disciplinary action or administrative measure taken by a correctional institution is illegal or inappropriate, such as believing that the use of restraints by the institution violates the principle of proportionality or exceeds the statutory period.
  2. Believing that the Enforcement Act of the Prison Act, the Detention Act, or other correctional regulations are unconstitutional, illegal, or inappropriate.
  3. Serving a sentence in prison and encountering delayed medical treatment or other circumstances meeting the following conditions: 1. Defendants in detention
    Who have experienced severe health problems, and whose applications for release for medical treatment or release on bail pending trial filed by themselves or their defense attorneys to the court were rejected.

    2. Defendants whose detention has been suspended
    Who, although released following the suspension of detention, experienced delayed medical treatment, inappropriate handling, or deterioration of their condition while in detention.

    3. Inmates in correctional institutions
    Who meet any of the circumstances under Paragraph 1, Article 3 of the Regulations on the Review Criteria and Management of Medical Treatment Outside Prison for Inmates, and have applied for release for medical treatment but were refused, or have experienced noticeably insufficient medical treatment within the institution and deterioration of their condition.
  4. Feedback on other prison-related regulations or practical issues, or consultation for inquiries.

You can mail your "grievance letter and case-related materials" to our office, addressed to the "JRF Complaint Center".

  • Taipei Office Address: 4F., No. 290, Minsheng W. Rd., Datong Dist., Taipei City 103008, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
  • Taichung Office Address: 10F.-2, No. 4-33, Sec. 1, Shuangshi Rd., East Dist., Taichung City 40143, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Taiwan's new Enforcement Act of the Prison Act and Detention Act were promulgated on January 15 of this year and took effect on July 15. The new laws respond to the National Congress on Judicial Reform held in 2017, taking the rule of law and transparency as their basic principles, and marking an important step forward in prison reform. In response to the requirements of the rule of law, the Ministry of Justice and the Agency of Corrections held intensive meetings during the six-month period between promulgation and official implementation, formulating a total of 32 authorized regulations (including the enforcement rules of the two acts), significantly increasing the density of legal norms.

The remedy structure of the new laws is complex. Under both the Enforcement Act of the Prison Act and the Detention Act, different remedies are provided for decisions made by different agencies (as shown in the chart). Inmates may not be clear on which remedy channel to take when encountering certain issues. Therefore, the Judicial Reform Foundation Complaint Center accepts "legal consultations on correctional institutions" and provides assistance from pro bono lawyers when necessary. This serves to monitor the implementation of the new laws on the one hand, and to examine whether there are loopholes in the new laws for subsequent institutional revisions on the other.

28Jan.
2026

Judicial Reformer's Inner Thoughts|Letter by Letter, Connecting the World Inside and Outside the High Walls: They Slipped Through Society's Net Due to Missteps, and I Chose to Catch Every Letter

Kuan-Chen Chen / Legal Specialist, Judicial Reform Foundation

As the seasons turn and the New Year approaches, my desk remains piled high with letters from prisons across the…

17Nov.
2025

Press Release | Cases of Death Due to Delayed Medical Treatment in Custody Occur Repeatedly: JRF Urges Control Yuan to Conduct a Thorough Investigation and Call for Public Case Submissions

Judicial Reform Foundation

In 2012, the Control Yuan issued Investigation Report No. 101-Szu-Tiao-0046 regarding "medical deficiencies in prisons…

30Sep.
2023

Before Calling for Help Arrives: Medical Human Rights in Correctional Facilities Through the Case of A-Chi, an Inmate with Schizophrenia

Text by Chao Min; Design by Mido; Photography by Li Chao-Yen

A-Chi (a pseudonym) is an inmate suffering from schizophrenia. Due to a relapse, he committed severe domestic violence…

30Sep.
2023

Our Respective Yet Common Efforts Since That Year: Post-Visit Reflections on Exchanges with the Center for Prisoners' Rights, Japan

Text by Ma Chien-ya, Legal Specialist at the Judicial Reform Foundation; Photography by Hsieh Chia-chen

In June this year, the JRF Secretariat visited the Center for Prisoners' Rights in Japan to learn about the center's…

30Sep.
2023

Before Asking for Help in Time| Looking at the Amendment to the Regulations on the Transfer of Prison Inmates through the Case of Huang Chin-yi

Text by Li Pei-chen (Department of Medical Sociology and Social Work, Chung Shan Medical University, JRF Intern); Proofreading by Chang Hua-che (JRF Legal Specialist); Photography by Hsieh Chia-chen

The Regulations on the Transfer of Prison Inmates were promulgated and implemented in July 2020. Article 3, paragraph…

15Sep.
2023

Joint Statement|Alleged Unlawful Abuse and Torture by Taipei Prison in its Management of Inmates

Joint Organizations

Joint Statement on the “Alleged Unlawful Abuse and Torture by Taipei Prison in its Management of Inmates”: The…

02Oct.
2021

Handbook on the Rights of Inmates and Defendants | Guard Instruments, Protective Restraint, and Protective Cells

Judicial Reform Foundation

The use of guard instruments, protective restraint, and placement in a protective cell involves high-intensity…

11Aug.
2021

Handbook on the Rights of Inmates and Defendants

Lin Wei-Ting / Researcher, Judicial Reform Foundation

After the amended Prison Act and Detention Act took effect on July 15, 2020, the JRF began preparing a handbook…

03Aug.
2021

Rights Handbook for Inmates and Defendants | Mail Inspection and Perusal

Lin Wei-Ting / Researcher, Taiwan Judicial Reform Foundation

Article 66 of the former Prison Act allowed prison officials to inspect and read all incoming and outgoing inmate…

13Apr.
2021

Inmates' Rights Manual | Remedies and Feedback

Author | Lin Wei-Ting, Legislative Researcher; Editor | Student Lin, JRF Intern

This practical guide explains the principal remedies available under the Prison Act and Detention Act after the 2020…

14Jul.
2020

Implementation of the New Prison Act and Launch of Legal Consultation Press Conference

Judicial Reform Foundation

Taiwan's newly revised Prison Act and Detention Act were promulgated on January 15 this year and took effect on July…