Justice Ministry mulls probation, alternative penalties rather than jail for minor offences

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Justice Ministry mulls probation, alternative penalties rather than jail for minor offences

 

 

Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin pointed out on Friday that there were 700,000 offenders under the Corrections Department, the Juvenile Observation and Protection Department and the Probation Department, and the ministry is in the process of developing laws to improve probation and alternative penalties for use rather than imprisonment for minor offenders.

 

The minister made the comments during his opening speech for the Probation Department’s 40th anniversary event at Centra by Centara Hotel in Bangkok.

 

Somsak also commented on the allegation that electronic monitoring (EM) ankle or wrist bracelets, rented by the Probation Department from a private company, can be easily removed by parolled offenders without the department being alerted electronically. He said revocation of the contract to rent the EM devices and return of the money to the Finance Ministry aren’t easy and must be approached carefully, so he would wait for Justice Ministry permanent secretary Wisit Wisitsora-at to report after an investigation is completed. 

 

The minister said the probe into such procurement projects was within the power of the Justice Ministry permanent secretary and Probation Department director-general, who had to team up with experts and legal officials to check all the facts. After a thorough investigation, if it was deemed an unfixable issue, the move to revoke the contract or other solutions would be considered as there was the condition of budget allocation and reimbursement involved and a time constraint (the end of fiscal year 2019 will end in September), he added.

 

Earlier this month, Wisit assigned a committee to check the EM bracelets and report back to him by a deadline of August 23. 

 

The Probation Department had initially told the ministry that as the device could easily be removed from the wrist when applied with soap water, the department instructed Supreme Distribution (Thailand) – with which the department signed a 21-month EM device-renting contract (from January 1, 2019 to September 30, 2020) – to fix the flaw within 15 days or the contract may be revoked.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30375622

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-08-30

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[legend49]

Thepsuthin pointed out on Friday that there were 700,000 offenders under the Corrections Department, the Juvenile Observation and Protection Department and the Probation Department,

 

add to that the farang who are under IMO dept with 90 day reporting and TM 30.

[Geoffggi]

15 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

The Probation Department had initially told the ministry that as the device could easily be removed from the wrist when applied with soap water, the department instructed Supreme Distribution (Thailand) – with which the department signed a 21-month EM device-renting contract (from January 1, 2019 to September 30, 2020) – to fix the flaw within 15 days or the contract may be revoked.

Once again the officials pussyfooting around, if the devices do not function correctly in any way if they cannot fix the flaw the contract SHOULD be revoked with immediate effect and forget the May Be....

[sammieuk1]

The justice ministry needs to clear one thing up before it starts murder, manslaughter, rape, arson and GBH are not minor offences if you are rich????

[PatOngo]

26 minutes ago, Geoffggi said:

Once again the officials pussyfooting around, if the devices do not function correctly in any way if they cannot fix the flaw the contract SHOULD be revoked with immediate effect and forget the May Be....

Answer: He said revocation of the contract to rent the EM devices and return of the money to the Finance Ministry aren’t easy and must be approached carefully,

 

Translation: The spoils have already been distributed!

[klauskunkel]

16 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

revocation of the contract to rent the EM devices and return of the money to the Finance Ministry aren’t easy

Not easy, huh? Lost the receipt?

[Curt1591]

Why not actually mandate jail time for major offences, such as vehicular manslaughter !?!

[Cadbury]

Which reminds me; I wonder how the gun making training courses are going for those prisoners who were involved in gun crimes. This 2017 policy was a Prayut Chan-o-cha initiative. 

Rather than jail prisoners they could run training courses for them as bank security guards and RTP monthly envelope collection officers. 

https://news.thaivisa.com/article/11265/convicts-to-be-enrolled-in-making-guns-for-defence-ministry

 

[neeray]

While I certainly agree with punishment for crimes committed, tossing the criminal in the klink for a minor crime can be counter productive. Go "Directly to Jail" can be a great resource for a minor to learn from the majors.

Keep thinking Justice Ministry. Make Thailand "the hub of common sense punishment".

[yellowboat]

In the west, you either pay a fine or do community service: picking up garbage, washing and walking dogs at a kennel, painting a government building or doing gardening.  

[neeray]

5 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

In the west, you either pay a fine or do community service: picking up garbage, washing and walking dogs at a kennel, painting a government building or doing gardening.  

Great idea "yellowboat". This ties to another thread that is currently running, "BMA installs nets to collect garbage in waterways".

With 700,000 garbage picker uppers, the place will be spic and span by the end of the year.

[Thaifriends]

When harsh punishments then we complain, if lenient then also complain or make a joke of it.

 

I think we all are getting old ????

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

The justice ministry needs to clear one thing up before it starts murder, manslaughter, rape, arson and GBH are not minor offences if you are rich????

But mushroom picking remains a heinous crime if you are poor ?

[lvr181]

1 hour ago, yellowboat said:

In the west, you either pay a fine or do community service: picking up garbage, washing and walking dogs at a kennel, painting a government building or doing gardening.  

That is best idea BUT do away with the fine (lets rich people off lightly and discriminates against the poor) - ALL do community service etc.!

[RichardColeman]

21 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Earlier this month, Wisit assigned a committee to check the EM bracelets and report back to him by a deadline of August 23. 

I'm guessing that is 2024 - since most committees seem to have a 5 year plan

[Javade joker]

Justice Ministry need to have a better justice protection and respect for foreigners befor every one run to the other country,s for investment and Thai economy get into disease of corporate corruption and the corporate abusive of justice system and justice should not convict the foreigner for the the misunderstanding of the word in En. or other languishes it is inhuman and Thailand reputation is fallen for unsafe UN report 

PS. court conviction of Foreigner for the word MUFFLICA? such word dos not exist in any dictionary? 

[sambum]

Why not just fine them? "Simples"  - More money!!!!!

[Grusa]

7 hours ago, Thaifriends said:

When harsh punishments then we complain, if lenient then also complain or make a joke of it.

 

I think we all are getting old ????

There is at least one truth here.

[Grusa]

6 hours ago, lvr181 said:

That is best idea BUT do away with the fine (lets rich people off lightly and discriminates against the poor) - ALL do community service etc.!

Do you think thai-ital fatso is even capable of picking up litter?

[gunderhill]

9 hours ago, neeray said:

While I certainly agree with punishment for crimes committed, tossing the criminal in the klink for a minor crime can be counter productive. Go "Directly to Jail" can be a great resource for a minor to learn from the majors.

Keep thinking Justice Ministry. Make Thailand "the hub of common sense punishment".

Just  like no TM30, you may  now exit Thailand.

[ttrd]

12 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

The justice ministry needs to clear one thing up before it starts murder, manslaughter, rape, arson and GBH are not minor offences if you are rich????

This require a professional compatibility between justice and the Minister and not a justifying minister only - a small but significant difference ...

[moontang]

Possess two joints, go to jail.  Loot an entire economy, go to Government House. 

[Bundooman]

22 hours ago, neeray said:

While I certainly agree with punishment for crimes committed, tossing the criminal in the klink for a minor crime can be counter productive. Go "Directly to Jail" can be a great resource for a minor to learn from the majors.

Keep thinking Justice Ministry. Make Thailand "the hub of common sense punishment".

Agreed, but here I am, thinking that 'minor' crimes in this country were all dealt with 3 - 500฿  fines in order to support the Policemen's' Beneficial and Leisure Fund.

Or are all these Waii-able and Graap-able offences now to be re-classified to 'Misdemeanors' or just plain accidental,  'mistakes', (yet still carry the mandatory police funding)?

[Vacuum]

On 8/31/2019 at 2:17 AM, Curt1591 said:

Why not actually mandate jail time for major offences, such as vehicular manslaughter !?!

Minor crimes compared to vaping or smoking on a beach.

[Vacuum]

On 8/31/2019 at 1:13 AM, Geoffggi said:

Once again the officials pussyfooting around, if the devices do not function correctly in any way if they cannot fix the flaw the contract SHOULD be revoked with immediate effect and forget the May Be....

A brown envelope was delivered during the signing of the contract. So, no can do.

[madmitch]

16 hours ago, sambum said:

Why not just fine them? "Simples"  - More money!!!!!

And that's the problem. Most have no money to pay a fine therefore they are jailed. As someone suggested, community service would be a much better idea.

 

The rich of course do pay the fine, plus a bit extra to certain others, to make sure they don't go to jail.

[brianthainess]

On 8/31/2019 at 9:50 AM, neeray said:

Keep thinking Justice Ministry. Make Thailand "the hub of common sense punishment".