Security Prison, in Hualien County on Taiwan’s remote east coast, and the
lowest, NT$126, is paid in Kinmen Prison located on a small distant island;
33 prisons were found to pay a monthly remuneration of less than NT$500,
and among these 8 prisons pay monthly remuneration of less than NT$200.)In
comparison, a total of 3,692 (6%) prisoners are engaged in self-employed
processing work and earn a monthly income much higher than the
remuneration earned by those engaged in subcontracted processing work. (The
highest average monthly remuneration earned by the inmates engaged in selfemployed work, NT$13,174, is paid at the Taichung Detention Center, and the
lowest one, NT$256, is paid at the Hualien Detention Center; only 5 prisons
were found to pay monthly remuneration of less than NT$500, while 32
prisons were found to pay monthly remuneration of more than NT$1,000.) The
huge gap in the remuneration paid to different prisoners marks inequality
among them, and is also in contravention of Point 76 of the United Nations
Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, which states that the
correctional institutions must have a system of equitable work remuneration
for prisoners in place.
72.
For example, in 2017, the monthly revenue at Tainan Prison was NT$833,691
in total on average, after deducting its operating expenses, 37.5% of which
was revenue for prisoners, i.e. NT$312,634. Dividing this by the number of
prisoners in 2017, i.e. 3,178 persons, the “monthly income” earned by each
prisoner was only NT$98.37, and the “yearly income” only NT$1,180.
Notwithstanding, the amount of NT$1,180 does not represent the money
earnable and expendable by the prisoners. According to the Statute of
Progressive Execution of Penalties, the remuneration available to prisoners is
classified into four levels; prisoners are free to expend their remuneration for
work activities subject to their status. For example, level-4 prisoners may
freely expend only one-fifth of the remuneration they earn. That is, if they earn
NT$236 a year, they can only receive NT$19.6 per month, virtually nothing.
The hostage situation in Kaohsiung (Daliao) Prison in February 2015 shocked
our entire nation. One of the claims made by the six prisoners initiating the
hostage-taking was exactly related to the difficulty in living due to the
underpaid remuneration by the Prison. After investigation and follow-up by
the Control Yuan, the Agency of Corrections amended the Prison Act and
Detention Act to increase the portion of profits (surplus over the operating
costs) given to prisoner remuneration from 37.5% to 60%.
Education Continuing in Correctional Institutions
73.
The Agency of Corrections has set up supplementary schools in four
correctional institutions including Taipei Prison, Changhua Prison, Tainan
Prison and Hualien Prison to conform with and provide the 12-year Basic
Education as well as continuing education. Some schools have set bars for
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