Should the prison inmate surnamed "Yang," better known as the "Hwakang Wolf," be placed on parole to study in the sociology department of National Taiwan University? Since a decision to postpone his parole was made during a meeting held by the Ministry of Justice last Friday, the question has been put aside for now. But the issues raised by his case have yet to be fully explored or resolved.
Most of the debate has centered on two contrasting concerns -- protection of a prisoner's human rights and the right to an education and protection of the general public's right to freedom from fear. In fact, it would not be difficult to allay both concerns by ensuring the offenders are effectively rehabilitated.
Although increasing importance has been placed on rehabilitation, a lack of trained personnel and resources has prevented rehabilitation programs from getting underway in any significant manner. Becoming Buddhists, getting baptized and getting into colleges have become common indicators of inmates' desire to reform, but these are not necessarily substitutes for undergoing rehabilitation.
Rehabilitation of inmates requires a high degree of professionalism. A wide range of approaches and considerations is required to meet the challenge of rehabilitating inmates who may have committed serious crimes, including serial rape, as in the case of the "Hwakang Wolf."
Many valuable precedents from other countries can serve as useful references. In Taiwan, there are scholars researching and carrying out fieldwork on the subject. Unfortunately, they have not received the attention they deserve.
As we discuss rehabilitation of inmates, we must also remember the needs of the victims. Greater resources need to be put into helping them recover. It is true that after the passage of the prevention of Sexual Offenses Law (性侵害犯罪防制法) in 1996, every county and city established centers for prevention. However, with the exception of Taipei City and County and Kaohsiung City and County, the centers are sorely lacking in manpower and financial resources. Victims cannot even get basic assistance, not to mention the long and difficult therapy necessary for recovery.
In the book After Silence: Rape and My Journey Back, American writer Nancy Venable Raine recounts the process of therapy and recovery after she was raped. Even for Raine, a woman with ample resources, it took her 10 years to find an expert to give her much needed long-term therapy. When she did so, she finally put her darkest hours behind her. In comparison with Raine, the rape victims of Taiwan are like social outcasts left to die on their own.
Delaying parole cannot be used as a way to reduce controversy and avoid problems. The justice ministry should carefully re-examine its methods for rehabilitating prisoners. The Ministry of the Interior should help social workers at local prevention centers, and educational and medical institutions should invest in the training of counselors and therapists. Otherwise, such work will only be neglected now that the economy is in trouble.
At this point, only one thing is certain -- there will be another media field day the next time that "Yang" is up for parole or another inmate gets into National Taiwan University.
Su Chien-ling is the chairperson of the Awakening Foundation.
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