The Current key policies of Agency of Corrections, Ministry of Justice: To Build a 'Smart Prison'
Current Status:
ITEMS
DESCRIPTIONS
The Smart Security Monitor System
To use the Global Positioning System (GPS) to and the Radio-frequency identification (RFID) system to detect where prisoners will be and strengthen the prisoner classification. The smart security system can automatically monitor prisoners’ behavior. If the system notices there is an abnormal situation, it will warn the duty centers, show the nearby screens and close the gates and doors automatically.
Since 2016, the Agency of Corrections, Ministry of Justice (MJAC) has established the smart monitor system in seven correctional institutions, and it is estimated that the system will be completed in another four institutions by 2019. However, the system so far has not included the function that can close the gates and doors automatically.
Until the present, MJAC has invested 232,056,000 NT dollars on the system. In the future, MJAC wishes to invest more to establish the system to the remaining forty institutions and upgrade the system to have more advanced functions. The entire system will cost an estimated NT eleven billion.
The Smart Card System
To create an ‘all-in-one’ smart identity card for prisoners, which not only can check inmates’ identity but also allow them to shop in prison and check their saving accounts, medical treatments records, and other information related to their treatments.
In December 2018, MJAC has invented a kiosk to facilitate prisoners’ shopping. All prisoners need to use their fingerprints to log in the system, and then they can check their deposit, complete a purchase, and check their orders. In the future, the smart card will be applied to the kiosks, enabling prisoners to tap their cards as ID checking while they are shopping. Currently, the system has been installed in Keelung Prison and Taipei Detention Center as an experiment since December 2018, which has cost an estimated NT 1,500,000.
The Smart Prison-manufactured Online Shopping System
MJAC has operated an online shopping website to sell prison-manufactured products. Due to the wide use of the mobile payment, MJAC is introducing it to the website to make shopping easier.
Since December 2018, the online payment system has been introduced in Taipei Prison and Taichung Prison as an experiment.
The Mobile Phone Family Visit System
Due to the wide use of smartphones, MJAC has started to develop the system to allow prisoners’ family members to use smartphones or tablets anywhere to have a video call with them. Those who live far away from the correctional institutions or those who are inconvenient for travelling can apply for using a mobile phone to have a phone call with their incarcerated family members.
The mobile phone family visit system can certainly increase the convenience and save the cost and time for travelling, making prisoners’ family more likely to visit them through smartphone or tablets. It has been approved that family visit plays a vital role in prisoners’ rehabilitation, so MJAC wishes to develop the system to bring more positive effects on both prisoners and their family.
The system has been set up in some correctional institutions, such as Penghu Prison, Taiyuan Skill Training Institute and Kinmen Prison, as an experiment. MJAC will continue to see how to improve the system and plan to introduce the system to all correctional institutions in the future. MJAC has cost an estimated NT 600,000 on the system.
The Smart Medical Care System
Prisoners’ physical conditions can be monitored through technological equipment and the use of big data. Once a prisoner’ condition is abnormal as their daily life, the system will remind the duty centers and prisoners themselves. The system can help prisoners manage their health conditions more effectively.
The Smart Management System
MJAC aims to reduce paperwork and transform it into the online system to increase administrative efficiency. In the future, MJAC will find more ways to increase the budget to develop the system.
The Expected Results:
To use technology to supplement correctional staff, increase administrative efficiency, improve the quality of customer services for prisoners’ family, strengthen the safety of prisoners and the institutions.
