Increased concerns about public security have led to an increase in the number of people officially designated as hoodlums.
In fact, statistics released by the Ministry of the Interior on Friday stated that the number of hoodlums across the nation has increased by more than a third.
"The increased number was a result of heightened public security, and therefore, more hoodlums have been arrested in 2003 than in 2002," explained Chen Chin-hung (
Between January and September this year, the number of hoodlums reported by the police was 993, a 36.8 percent increase over the same period last year.
Of the 993 suspected hoodlums, 742 were re-examined and legally designated as hoodlums.
This year's number of legally designated hoodlums has increased by 24.3 percent over last year.
Chen explained that the heightened security is due to the increase of public complaints of the appearances of hoodlums in various neighborhoods around the country. As a result, police have increased the number of patrol officers and thus arrested more hoodlums than last year.
The mounting number of complaints does not come as a surprise, considering the numerous news reports within the last couple of months about hoodlums brazenly conducting gang fights in front of police stations.
According to the Anti-Hoodlum Law (檢肅流氓條例), any individual who is over the age 18 and has caused any of the social disturbances listed in Article 2 will be forced to report to the police and his or her actions will be reviewed.
Social disturbances described in Article 2 include crimes such as extortion, establishment of brothels and the illegal production of weapons.
After a number of police officers in the various level of the police agency have certified that the suspect has indeed committed one of these crime, the suspect will then be legally be identified as a hoodlum.
Taichung City has been identified as having the the highest rate of hoodlums per capita, followed closely by Miaoli County and Chiayi City
"The large number of gangs in these areas may contribute to the high hoodlum rates," Chen said.
According to the ministry, there are two types of hoodlums -- felons and regular hoodlums.
Once a regular hoodlum is arrested, the individual will simply be given a written warning and counseling. However, an arrested felon is not given a warning but detained right away.
This year, Taipei City has 103 felons, the highest number in the nation.
If a regular hoodlum breaks more Anti-Hoodlum Law regulations during his counseling period, that individual will be sent to a local court to be prosecuted.
Between January and September this year, a total of 500 hoodlums were prosecuted -- a 31.9 percent increase over last year.
AGING: While Japan has 22 submarines, Taiwan only operates four, two of which were commissioned by the US in 1945 and 1946, and transferred to Taiwan in 1973 Taiwan would need at least 12 submarines to reach modern fleet capabilities, CSBC Corp, Taiwan chairman Chen Cheng-hung (陳政宏) said in an interview broadcast on Friday, citing a US assessment. CSBC is testing the nation’s first indigenous defense submarine, the Hai Kun (海鯤, Narwhal), which is scheduled to be delivered to the navy next month or in July. The Hai Kun has completed torpedo-firing tests and is scheduled to undergo overnight sea trials, Chen said on an SET TV military affairs program. Taiwan would require at least 12 submarines to establish a modern submarine force after assessing the nation’s operational environment and defense
Yangmingshan National Park authorities yesterday urged visitors to respect public spaces and obey the law after a couple was caught on a camera livestream having sex at the park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) earlier in the day. The Shilin Police Precinct in Taipei said it has identified a suspect and his vehicle registration number, and would summon him for questioning. The case would be handled in accordance with public indecency charges, it added. The couple entered the park at about 11pm on Thursday and began fooling around by 1am yesterday, the police said, adding that the two were unaware of the park’s all-day live
The coast guard today said that it had disrupted "illegal" operations by a Chinese research ship in waters close to the nation and driven it away, part of what Taipei sees a provocative pattern of China's stepped up maritime activities. The coast guard said that it on Thursday last week detected the Chinese ship Tongji (同濟號), which was commissioned only last year, 29 nautical miles (54km) southeast of the southern tip of Taiwan, although just outside restricted waters. The ship was observed lowering ropes into the water, suspected to be the deployment of scientific instruments for "illegal" survey operations, and the coast
A former soldier and an active-duty army officer were yesterday indicted for allegedly selling classified military training materials to a Chinese intelligence operative for a total of NT$79,440. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Chen Tai-yin (陳泰尹) and Lee Chun-ta (李俊達) for contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法) and the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例). Chen left the military in September 2013 after serving alongside then-staff sergeant Lee, now an army lieutenant, at the 21st Artillery Command of the army’s Sixth Corps from 2011 to 2013, according to the indictment. Chen met a Chinese intelligence operative identified as “Wang” (王) through a friend in November
RSS