The Ministry of Justice is planning to put electronic tracking devices on some paroled criminals in the future to make sure that they will not repeat their offenses.
According to Vice Minister of Justice Morley Shih (
"We are planning to set up a tracking mechanism for certain criminals, such as rapists or murderers, after they are paroled," Shih said. "We want to make sure that they will not repeat their crimes again ... I think this is necessary."
The ministry's plan to put electronic tracking devices on certain criminals does not include those who have finished their jail terms.
"It will only be carried out for parolees," Shih said.
Meanwhile, since the electronic tracking device system only works within a certain range, Shih said that the ministry is also considering linking it up with the global positioning system (GPS) so that law enforcement officers will be able to locate the person being tracked anywhere.
Shih said that the ministry will organize meetings sometime next week to discuss details of the proposed amendment to the Guidance Law (觀護法). If the amendment passes, in the future, paroled rapists, murderers or even those found guilty of espionage will be forced to put on these electronic tracing devices so law enforcement officers can trace them whenever necessary.
In addition to the electronic tracking devices, the amendment to the Guidance Law would also authorize law enforcement officers to confine some parolees to their home and apartment, or put them under curfew.
How long parolees will have to wear tracking devices remains an undecided question.
"As of now, it is quite clear that rapists and murderers will have to wear them. But we are also considering asking certain suspects on bail to join the program," Shih added.
"These two kinds of criminals [rapists and murderers] have two unique characteristics in common -- they love to move around and they love to go out at night. These two characteristics may lead them to repeat their crimes and we will help avoid that," Shih continued. "We cannot put our community's safety at risk."
Local human rights activists have been complaining against the idea, Shih said, arguing that the new tracking system would deprive people of their basic human rights.
Under the law, convicted rapists must go through a rehabilitation program as they are serving their jail time. However, a study by the ministry also showed that it is very difficult to determine if a rapist is completely "rehabilitated" when he finishes his jail term.
"What we care about more is public safety," Shih said. "I cannot say that these activists' concerns are totally wrong, but we will keep communicating with them."
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
UNKNOWN TRAJECTORY: The storm could move in four possible directions, with the fourth option considered the most threatening to Taiwan, meteorologist Lin De-en said A soon-to-be-formed tropical storm east of the Philippines could begin affecting Taiwan on Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The storm, to be named Fung-wong (鳳凰), is forecast to approach Taiwan on Tuesday next week and could begin affecting the weather in Taiwan on Wednesday, CWA forecaster Huang En-hung (黃恩鴻) said, adding that its impact might be amplified by the combined effect with the northeast monsoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the system’s center was 2,800km southeast of Oluanbi (鵝鑾鼻). It was moving northwest at 18kph. Meteorologist Lin De-en (林得恩) on Facebook yesterday wrote that the would-be storm is surrounded by
RSS