Go To Content
:::

White Paper on Service for the People

  • Publication Date :
  • Last updated:2024-06-21
  • View count:2518

I. Foreword

At present, the government is going all out for administrative reform in an attempt to use quality control practiced in businesses to fashion a customer-oriented administrative culture. In keeping with the spirit, we will continue to study the various facilitation measures. To attain this goal, we must demonstrate our respect to the people and our zeal to serve the people. Convenient and caring service can put a new face on the correctional organizations and open a new era in the reform of prison administration.

II. Major functions of this prison

  1. Guard and control: We enforce in earnest the responsibility system, strengthen the security check, conduct year-round education for the control personnel, review the guard and control system all the time, and take various performance evaluation and control measures.
  2. Sanitation and healthcare: We strengthen the prevention of communicable diseases. This includes treatment for diseases; conduction of urine, HIV-AIDS, and VD screenings; and supervision on environmental sanitation so that the lives of inmates can be secured.
  3. Administrative affairs: We incessantly review and improve the administrative affairs, computerize administrative management, simplify the procedure of correspondence and communication, and implement the division of responsibility to enhance administrative efficiency.
  4. Administrative ethics: We carry out to the letter the "Corruption Eradication Action Plan," strictly safeguard the secrets of the organization, protect the safety of the facilities, and implement the declaration of assets by public servants, which is subject to audit and perusal.
  5. Work and skill training: We strengthen the self-run business and win technical cooperation with business and industrial firms in hopes that, through working, inmates can form the habit of diligent work and get a skill for use after their discharge.
  6. Edification and education: We consolidate our measures for cultivating inmates' good character and examining their conducts and, for this purpose, conduct recreational activities for them.
  7. Investigation and classification: We use direct and indirect investigation and psychological test to judge the aptitudes of inmates in choosing the corrective measure for each of them.
  8. The rehab institution: The correction for a drug addict is divided into three periods: adaptation, psychological guidance, and social adaptation. We make great efforts to compile teaching materials for them to steel their will power to get rid of the drug and their dependence on drug and assist them to return to society.
  9. Service for the people: We strengthen the counter services, carefully handle the applications and petitions, simplify the procedures of visits to inmates, and implement the measures for good neighborhood.

III. We render our service in keeping with the following principles

  1. The principle of prudence: Whatever is the case, big or small, it is handled with equal care. We always do our best to find a solution for it.
  2. The principle of professionalism: We strictly require our staff to study the related systems and laws so that they can answer the questions asked by the concerned party and enable the party to get a satisfactory reply at the shortest time.
  3. The principle of two-way communication: We render our service sincerely and kindly. As long the demand is reasonable, we will try our best to help find the solution. If the demand is illegal, we will reject it euphemistically.
  4. The principle of patience: We understand the mood of a complainant, so we are patient to hear his account. If we find that the complainant has misunderstood the law, we will euphemistically explain for him.

IV. The direction of our service

  1. We actively carry out our services for the people in accordance with our annual administrative plan.
  2. We make things easier for people who ask for our service, by using computers to manage the roster of inmates and the deposit under our custody to render the service at the fastest speed.
  3. We handle an application immediately after it is filed by mail, by telephone or in person. The procedure is shortened. We provide around-the-clock online service for applications and inquiries.
  4. We make use social resources to strengthen our service for the people.
  5. We have established a renovation mailbox (including an e-mail box) to take opinions and advice from all sources for reference in rendering our service.
  6. We are always improving our service by conducting year-round education and at appropriate times implementing special training on the attitude for rendering services.

V. We render our service by directly facing the people when we handle their applications

  1. Instant service: When people come to the prison to register a complaint or submit a petition, we have full-time personnel to meet them personally and patiently listen to their accounts. If their problems can be solved, we would do it immediately.
  2. Petition by telephone: If the case of the petition by telephone is a simple one and the reply can be made on the spot, the person in charge will do it accordingly. If the case is complicated, it has to be referred to the section or office in charge to make a reply within the time limit.
  3. Consultation service: We have installed a voice inquiry system and assigned full-time personnel to listen to the caller. If the inquiry is about a visit to an inmate or about the inmate's personal information, a detailed explanation is immediately made.
  4. Reply in writing: If a petition is made in writing, it is handled as a document subject to full-course control. We will urge the person in charge to make a reply within seven days.
  5. A two-way communication is adopted to allow an inmate to express his opinion. The talks of an inmate are recorded. If his opinion is good for reference, it is referred to the concerned section or office as basis for making improvement.
  6. This prison has set up a committee to handle inmates' petitions. If an inmate is unhappy with the decision on his petition, the case is referred to the committee for impartial treatment.
  7. Petition from the public are distributed to the related section or office. The head of the section or office will meet the petitioner in person and listen to his complaint with patience for handling the case as soon as possible.
  8. When a person comes to the prison to make a petition, the case is handled as soon as it is received. If the petition is made by a letter, a reply will be made after the letter is verified.

VI. Strengthening of people-facilitation measures at the service department

  1. A person enthusiastic on rendering service and versed in the law is assigned to receive petitioners so that he can answer their questions about the law.
  2. The following facilitation measures are taken:
    1. The surroundings of the reception room have a lawn and flowers and equipped with a five-star class toilet. The walls of the room are decorated with Chinese and Western paintings to make the petitioners feel comfortable.
    2. There is pay phone, a machine supplying hot and cold drinks, and an ATM for petitioners to get money.
    3. There is an instruction board to show the service items, registration process for a visit, way to deposit clothes and articles, and the time limit for handling a case.
    4. The form to be filled out for making a deposit is on display and in supply.
    5. Desks, ball pens, and reading glasses are available for use by visitors.
    6. There is a television, magazines, and books for visitors.
    7. The prison has entrusted the China Medical University Hospital to open an outpatient center for the convenience of inmates' families and residents of the neighborhood.
    8. The parking lot is open to inmates' families.
    9. English translations have been added to designations and instructions to facilitate foreign visitors.
  3. Advice is solicited:
    1. Installing the superintendent's mailbox and conducting opinion polls.
    2. Installing a renovation mailbox to take proposals from all circles.
    3. Installing an opinion box in every block of wards to let inmate express their opinions, which is opened once a week jointly by the ethics office and the office of secretarial affairs.
    4. Holding a life and meal meeting once every months to listen to inmates' proposals as basis of improvement.

VII. Simplification of application-processing procedure

  1. Providing a filled out form as a sample: The prison gives the visiting family a filled out sample to follow when he fills out the same form in order to save time and to smoothen the procedure.
  2. Shortening the time for taking back deposited money and articles: If an inmate designates one his relatives to get back the money and articles put in custody, he can do it after writing a report, stating his relations with the designated person, and after the report is approved by the custody desk of the general affairs second of the prison.
  3. Cutting down on the procedure for seeking medical treatment at the inmate's own expense: If an inmate wants to send for a doctor at his own expense, he can do it if the application is approved.
  4. Simplifying the procedure of applying for an inmate certificate: If an inmate needs a certificate to prove his imprisonment for military conscription, domicile change, emergency relief and any other purpose, he may ask his family to bring the certificate to the prison, and after the certificate is verified, a certificate of imprisonment will immediately be prepared to save the travel time of his relative.
  5. If it is needed for special reasons, an inmate my apply to the general affairs section for buying patent medicines.

VIII. Strengthened service for visits

  1. Shortening the procedure of a visit: If a visitor forgets about bringing his government-issued ID card with him, he is allowed to register for meeting an inmate if he has other documents that can prove his identity. This will avoid them to travel in vain.
  2. Lengthening the visit time: There are numerous inmates in this prison. To cut down the waiting time of visitors, we have opened 26 visit windows. The inmates are brought into the visit room in three groups. When the first group of inmates is meeting their visitors, the second group is seated in the waiting room, in order to lengthen the period of visit.
  3. The registration time for visits is announced on the bulletin board for reference by family and friends.
  4. Strengthening telephonic, long-distance meeting:
    1. To serve family and friends who live far away and have urgent business not allowing them to come to the prison to visit an inmate, the prison has installed six pay phones. A telephonic meet is allowed for the following categories of inmates:
      1. those whose grand parents, parents, spouse or children are gravely sick;
      2. those whose families suffer a natural disaster or other emergencies;
      3. those whose close relatives cannot come to visit them because of long distance, old age, physical disability or handicap, or poverty;
      4. those who have an emergency for immediate contact with their family for a solution.
    2. This prison was instructed by the Ministry of Justice in January 2 to start the service of long-distance meeting for the convenience of inmates as well as their families. A family member of an inmate may apply for long-distance meeting if
      1. he cannot travel for a long distance because of disease or disability;
      2. he is over 50 years of age;
      3. he needs to contact the inmate because of natural disaster or another major event or emergency. However, a long distance meeting is not allowed for the family of an inmate who is still in the period of visit suspension imposed on him because of breaching prison rules.
    3. When a family member of an inmate comes a long way for a meeting with the inmate but the inmate has already received another visitor, the family member will be allowed to meet the inmate if the case has been verified.
    4. To facilitate office workers and students who cannot come to visit an inmate on weekdays, the first Sunday of each month is open for meeting inmates.

IX. Improvement of the environment

  1. In every morning and afternoon, the service place is cleaned. It is air-conditioned and equipped with a pay phone and a drinking water machine. There are magazines and law books and religious books for reference by visiting families.
  2. The procedure charts for each item of service are displayed, showing the documents needed, the visit time, and samples of form to be filled out. A visitor can grasp the procedure at a glance and, therefore, can save the time for making inquiries.
  3. To avoid the visitors to stand in line and crowding, there are number ticket and voice devices to allow visitors waiting seated for their turn.
  4. According to regulations, the food sent to the prison is limited to two kilograms. There is a weighing scale for visitors to use in order to reduce the processing time.
  5. There is an electronic bulletin to publish various administrative messages for information of visitors.
  6. When visits are to be suspended on a festival or a holiday, it is announced in advance.
  7. When an inmate is moved to another prison or to be banned for receiving visitors, his family is informed accordingly to avoid their travel in vain.
  8. In the waiting room, there is a corner to display the meal samples for families to understand life in the prison.

X. Procedures for mails and articles sent into the prison

  1. Procedures for handling mail:
    1. Outgoing mail: When an inmate wants to send a letter, he shall first send it to the head warden to read the contents and then to the warden of the block for examination, and then to the guard and control section for further examination and at last the letter can be sealed for registration and statistics. Only these are done, a letter can be sent to the mail center for delivery in a lot.
    2. Incoming mail: The mail center sends the letter to the guard and control section for distribution to each block of wards for examination and registration before it is sent to the hand of the inmate.
  2. Procedures for handling articles:
    1. Incoming articles: This prison has a service window with adequate manpower to facilitate the people sending in food and clothes and to answer inquiries. The sender of articles must present his ID to show his relationship with the supposed receiver of the articles. If the relationship meets the requirement, he is allowed to fill out an application form listing the articles. After examination and registration, the articles are delivered to the inmate. If the articles are not allowed, the prison officer will returned them to the sender on the spot.
    2. If an inmate wants his family to send articles to him, he is given an application form for parcels. After approved, the form is returned to the inmate for mailing to his family. Then, the family should mail the items listed in the application form. If the items do not match with the items applied for, they will be returned at the expense of the inmate. Articles mailed to an inmate must be examined and registered by specific personnel before they are handed to the inmate.

XI. Other services rendered

  1. For those impoverished hapless inmates, the head of the block will make a list on a regular time for the supply of daily necessities for them.
  2. To educate the inmates, the prison canvasses books for them to read in hopes that reading will have the effect of changing their character.
  3. Every week, the prison dispatch inmates to clean the roads, trim the trees, and unclog the gutters.
  4. To make friends with neighbors, the prison provides 40 scholarships for students of schools in the vicinity.
  5. The prison organizes various folk activities in cooperation with organizations to let inmates feel the caring side of society.
  6. This prison has set up a medical quarter, where there is the Pei Teh Hospital providing outpatient service and hospitalized treatment for critical patients. Besides, there is a quarter for the insane, T.B. quarantine, and a dialysis room, which are operated around the clock by the China Medical University Hospital.
  7. This prison has barrier-free facilities for handicapped inmates to meet with their families.

XII. Afterword

  1. If you find any shortcomings in our services, please don't hesitate to let us know, so we can make corrections or improvement. If you have any idea on our renovation, please share it with us to let us have more space for growth.
  2. Our address is: 9, Peh Teh Road, Nandun District, Taichung, 408
  3. Our toll-free phone number is: 0800=852800 Our special line for making a visit appointment is: (04) 23891296, ext. 187 and 188
  4. If you want to make an appointment for a visit to an inmate, please use the Web site of the Ministry of Justice, http://www.vst.moj.gov.tw. Our code number is 2405. You may also use the MOJ's special line for making a visit appointment at (02) 23891101, which is aided by computer voice, so the appointment is easy to make.
  5. The phone number of the roster deck at the general affairs section is (04) 23891796.
  6. The number of the reception room is (04) 23891296, ext. 183.
  7. For inquiries in the night, call (04) 23891796.
  8. The petition and accusation hotline is: (04) 23891775.
  9. The e-mail account for expressing opinion is: tcpmail@mail.moj.gov.tw
Go Top