From Sept. 1, convicted felons sentenced to six months or less in prison could be released on probation and allowed to do community service instead, the Ministry of Justice said yesterday.
Such convicts would provide supplementary labor in social services and charity work, the ministry said.
Regulated by an amendment to the Criminal Code (刑法) passed by the Legislative Yuan earlier this month, the plan would reduce public spending and alleviate overcrowding in the country’s prisons, officials said.
The ministry estimates that about 1,000 inmates on probation would work in social service organizations each year, translating into more than NT$800 million (US$23.67 million) in free labor.
However, the program is seen as likely to challenge the penal system’s capacity to supervise convicted criminals serving alternative prison terms.
“There will not be enough prosecutors and probation officers to oversee these people,” said Liu Cheng-wu (劉承武), a chief prosecutor with the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office.
Against this backdrop, Liu said, the prosecution would open the program to first-time offenders and those convicted of economic crimes, but not to repeat offenders, drug dealers, or people convicted of violence or abuse.
While social service organizations welcomed the plan, they expressed reservations over whether such felons could serve as good social workers.
Lin Chih-chia (林志嘉), chairman of the nonprofit Child Welfare League Foundation, said the convicts would have to be given special training before being allowed to work at any social service organization.
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
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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