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.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) is to launch a new program to encourage international students to stay in Taiwan and explore job opportunities here after graduation, Deputy Minister of Education Yeh Ping-cheng (葉丙成) said on Friday. The government would provide full scholarships for international students to further their studies for two years in Taiwan, so those who want to pursue a master’s degree can consider applying for the program, he said. The fields included are science, technology, engineering, mathematics, semiconductors and finance, Yeh added. The program, called “Intense 2+2,” would also assist international students who completed the two years of further studies in
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) departed for Europe on Friday night, with planned stops in Lithuania and Denmark. Tsai arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Friday night, but did not speak to reporters before departing. Tsai wrote on social media later that the purpose of the trip was to reaffirm the commitment of Taiwanese to working with democratic allies to promote regional security and stability, upholding freedom and democracy, and defending their homeland. She also expressed hope that through joint efforts, Taiwan and Europe would continue to be partners building up economic resilience on the global stage. The former president was to first
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
The Taipei District Court sentenced babysitters Liu Tsai-hsuan (劉彩萱) and Liu Jou-lin (劉若琳) to life and 18 years in prison respectively today for causing the death of a one-year-old boy in December 2023. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said that Liu Tsai-hsuan was entrusted with the care of a one-year-old boy, nicknamed Kai Kai (剴剴), in August 2023 by the Child Welfare League Foundation. From Sept. 1 to Dec. 23 that year, she and her sister Liu Jou-lin allegedly committed acts of abuse against the boy, who was rushed to the hospital with severe injuries on Dec. 24, 2023, but did not
RSS