The Agency of Corrections would continue to introduce AI and smart technologies to correctional facilities to create “smart prisons,” improving the allocation of resources and staff efficiency, Director of the Ministry of Justice’s Agency of Corrections Lin Hsien-ming (林憲銘) said.
Taiwan’s correctional facilities continue to face the long-term issue of overcrowding, particularly as recent government crackdowns on fraud and money laundering have led to an additional 8,000 prisoners, creating a shortage of correctional staff.
Two major initiatives are currently underway to tackle these challenges: a security network and smart systems, Lin said, adding that new systems would continue to be improved, tested and rolled out across prisons following the latest technological advancements.
Photo: Huang Yun-hsuan, Taipei Times
Firstly, an external “technology-driven security network” would improve monitoring and recording systems for better surveillance, he said.
Correctional facilities currently use digital surveillance cameras, recently upgraded from analog, with footage uploaded to a cloud-based system and utilizing facial recognition and detection features, he said.
As an example, facial recognition technology can detect where each prisoner is and how many inmates are in each area, and once a prisoner leaves an assigned area, the system would trigger an alert, he added.
Moreover, electric fences have been installed around the perimeter which would also trigger alarms if unauthorized people or vehicles are detected, reducing the need for constant patrols and helping relieve the strain of staff shortages, he said.
The second initiative is the integration of technology into staff management and inmate rehabilitation programs, he said.
For example, when inmates purchase daily necessities from prison cooperatives, they previously had to fill out multiple paper forms, requiring manpower as staff manually checked forms, purchases and payments, he said.
With a new digitalized system, similar to a fast-food kiosk, inmates can scan their faces, place orders and complete payment verification, he added.
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