Taiwan Prisons Overcrowded by Fraud Convicts, Staff Overworked

Taiwan's New Power Party caucus has sounded the alarm over critical overcrowding in prisons and detention centers, attributing the crisis to a dramatic increase in fraud cases. The party stated that the influx of fraud convicts is placing immense pressure on correctional staff, who are reportedly facing a worsening situation with insufficient personnel.

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Fraud cases have surged, leading to an influx of convicts into prisons and detention centers, creating immense pressure on correctional personnel.

Legislators from the party revealed that frontline correctional officers are routinely working more than 60 hours of overtime weekly. The high-temperature working environment within the facilities is also taking a toll, leading to symptoms like heatstroke, eczema, and other skin conditions. Despite these challenges, the staffing ratio remains high, with one officer reportedly overseeing 11.79 inmates, falling short of recommended domestic standards and international benchmarks.

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Frontline correctional officers are not only working overtime exceeding 60 hours as a norm but also suffering from heat-related illnesses due to long hours in high-temperature environments.

The caucus cited the example of Taoyuan Women's Prison, which is reportedly so full that authorities are considering housing inmates in corridors. The party is calling for urgent government action, including revising the "Total Personnel Act" to allow for increased staffing and raising officer stipends. They argue that improved compensation and working conditions are essential to retain staff and manage the escalating crisis effectively.

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The current direct care officer stipend is only 4,000 to 4,500 NT dollars, but the Crime and Correctional Association has strongly advocated for it to be increased to up to 9,700 NT dollars, comparable to police and firefighters, depending on the detention center's scale and duties.