A revealing glimpse into life inside a Taiwanese prison.

The News Lens
Date: 2018/09/13
By: Lu Ching-wen

Photo Credit: AlexVan @ Pixabay CC0

Editor’s note: Taiwan is currently undergoing a debate over an alarmingly high rate of recidivism. As many as four out of five prisoners in the country’s jails are repeat offenders, leading to questions over whether prisons are serving any corrective or educational purpose. One element of this debate is that the denial of basic human rights in prisons is a major factor in contributing to the problem.

Touring the inside of a medical clinic and other facilities in a central Taiwan prison caused me to reflect deeply on the living conditions and medical care of prisoners in Taiwan.

Prisoners aim to behave well so they can earn promotion within the four-tier system that governs the standard of treatment and privileges in Taiwan’s prisons, at the top of which beckons an increased prospect of parole.    [FULL  STORY]