Law Review Needed To Ease Overcrowded Jails

[george]

Law review needed to ease overcrowded jails

BANGKOK: -- The Department of Corrections met yesterday to find ways of dealing with overcrowded prisons, especially since the number of inmates nationwide is expected to increase beyond the current 200,000 in two years.

One of the suggestions was that petty criminals be subjected to other punishment, with jail sentences being reserved for major offenders.

At yesterday's seminar, permanent secretary for Justice, Kittipong Kittayarak, said criminal punishment should be reviewed because Thai prisons already had 50,000 inmates more than they could accommodate.

He said Thailand was the fourth country in Asia with the largest number of prisoners after Kazakhstan, Taiwan and Singapore, and each inmate cost the Kingdom about Bt16,000 a year.

Some 28 per cent of inmates are pending trials, while 55 per cent are serving sentences less than five years, he said. Other punishments, such as intensive probation or a suspended jail term with specific conditions, an electronic monitoring device or social service, should be used instead, he added.

Department of Corrections chief Nathee Chitsawang said in 1957 there were only 10,900 inmates, but the number kept growing and should go beyond 200,000 in the next couple of years because every month there were at least 2,000 people being sent to prison now.

In addition, the department needs to upgrade its facilities and provide high-security confinement for 20,000 inmates, he said. Besides, electronic tools were needed to enhance security and make up for the shortage in manpower.

Former corrections department chief Thavee Chusap said the issue of overcrowded prisons could not really be tackled and that the most effective answer would be royal pardons as well as the release or reduced sentences for disabled or aged inmates.

Former attorney general Khanit Na Nakhon said the Thai justice system still lacked proper administration and cooperation, so lawsuits could not be dropped to help reduce the number of jail sentences. He said public prosecutors could help cut the number of inmates awaiting trial by dropping lawsuits that did not affect the public directly, such as libel suits, or only issuing arrest warrants only when tight evidence could be produced. The courts could also help by approving temporary bail release.

-- The Nation 2009-06-24

[astral]

Build more jails is the UK approach.

http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2007/s2113313.htm

[Spee]

Build more jails is the UK approach.

http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2007/s2113313.htm

Really?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-51...ercrowding.html

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish...86908-20763460/

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime...ng-1040245.html

These articles seem to be indicative of a US-style approach, putting murderers, child molesters and other nefarious felons back out on the street, under the premise of easing overcrowding, instead of keeping them in the he11-hole where they belong.

Personally, I'm in favor of the harshest of prison environments for violent offenders, especially those who are in for life or justing biding time before the axe falls. For non-violent offenders, I'd like to see Thailand (and other countries) adopt the work crew philosophy for paying their debt to society and getting something productive out of them. This might even cause some sort of work ethic to grow on them.

For example, there have been recent threads about the condition of and new strategy for the state railway system. Why not put the non-violent offenders to work in fixing track, building new track, cleaning/maintaining cars, etc? Better a day in the sun working than a day in a shitty, stinking, and probably dangerous overcrowded cell. The best producers could be rewarded with a paying rail job when they finish serving their time. The worst ... well ... many are likely to go back to what they were doing previously anyway.

[mijan24]

Build more jails is the UK approach.

http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2007/s2113313.htm

Really?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-51...ercrowding.html

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish...86908-20763460/

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime...ng-1040245.html

These articles seem to be indicative of a US-style approach, putting murderers, child molesters and other nefarious felons back out on the street, under the premise of easing overcrowding, instead of keeping them in the he11-hole where they belong.

Personally, I'm in favor of the harshest of prison environments for violent offenders, especially those who are in for life or justing biding time before the axe falls. For non-violent offenders, I'd like to see Thailand (and other countries) adopt the work crew philosophy for paying their debt to society and getting something productive out of them. This might even cause some sort of work ethic to grow on them.

For example, there have been recent threads about the condition of and new strategy for the state railway system. Why not put the non-violent offenders to work in fixing track, building new track, cleaning/maintaining cars, etc? Better a day in the sun working than a day in a shitty, stinking, and probably dangerous overcrowded cell. The best producers could be rewarded with a paying rail job when they finish serving their time. The worst ... well ... many are likely to go back to what they were doing previously anyway.

This is an idea that could be explored for petty criminals (not a perfect solution) it must be better than just locking them up to fester and reoffend.

There are a thousand and one jobs that could be carried out to the benefit of the country and arguably the the betterment of the inmate.

[slapout]

In the west the Human Rights groups have forced closure of most of the prison farms, road work gangs, etc. Still see some roadway clean up once in a while, by prison population but the norm seems to be individual community service. Its too bad a happy medium between Thailand prisons and most western prisons can not be found. I can remember when minor offenders were given option of jail or military service, this seemed to work fairly well. Since the lawmakers??? seem to have taken it upon themselves to dictate prison sentences for most of the non violent crimes ( drug use, drunkenness, unpaid court fines, etc) the prison population has swelled through out the world. Those people advocating alternatives to jail time seem be in the minority, forgetting that many of the original transplants to America and Australia came from this type of background. Both countries seem to have done quite well, for the most part, with real contribution coming from these potential inmates.

[dkstoney]

For example, there have been recent threads about the condition of and new strategy for the state railway system. Why not put the non-violent offenders to work in fixing track, building new track, cleaning/maintaining cars, etc? Better a day in the sun working than a day in a shitty, stinking, and probably dangerous overcrowded cell. The best producers could be rewarded with a paying rail job when they finish serving their time. The worst ... well ... many are likely to go back to what they were doing previously anyway.

Or they could pay honest unemployed citizens to do the jobs.

First, you say they should live in the worst conditions imaginable, then you lament their incarceration "in a shitty, stinking, and probably dangerous overcrowded cell".

[DP25]

He said Thailand was the fourth country in Asia with the largest number of prisoners after Kazakhstan, Taiwan and Singapore, and each inmate cost the Kingdom about Bt16,000 a year.

Kinda doubt these statistics and would like to see a source. What about China, North Korea, Burma, Vietnam, Japan, etc? Singapore with 5 million people has more prisoners than Thailand with 65 mil, or China with 1.2 billion?

[borovik]

To anybody,who wants to comment this story:

read new book on the market:

"Send Them To hel_l" by Sebestian Williams

if you do not have time to read,at least look the pictures - "chains" in Thai edition,10(ten) kilograms!

[sriracha john]

I can remember when minor offenders were given option of jail or military service, this seemed to work fairly well.

Except for the military, where these dregs were a complete drain on resources and only very rarely and sporadically would amend their behavior to conform to the rigors of military life. Failures far, far outweighed successes.

[Spee]

For example, there have been recent threads about the condition of and new strategy for the state railway system. Why not put the non-violent offenders to work in fixing track, building new track, cleaning/maintaining cars, etc? Better a day in the sun working than a day in a shitty, stinking, and probably dangerous overcrowded cell. The best producers could be rewarded with a paying rail job when they finish serving their time. The worst ... well ... many are likely to go back to what they were doing previously anyway.

Or they could pay honest unemployed citizens to do the jobs.

The indications are that perhaps the money to pay people to do this work doesn't exist. So why not get some productivity from the non-violent offenders?

First, you say they should live in the worst conditions imaginable, then you lament their incarceration "in a shitty, stinking, and probably dangerous overcrowded cell".

Look before you leap mon ami. If you would reread what I wrote, I made a clear distinction between violent and non-violent offenders. For the record, I don't lament anyone's incarceration unless they are unjustly incarcerated, including innocent but found guilty in trial or given a sentence too severe for the crime.

Criminals and prisons are a burden on any society, including Thai society. Releasing violent offenders before completion of their sentence, simply to ease overcrowding in prisons (as well as provide political relief for bureaucrats), increases that societal burden many times over.

Murder, including murder for hire, is more or less commonplace in Thai society. Why would there ever be any reason for a justly tried and convicted murderer to ever take a free breath again?

The problem with releasing convicts early to ease overcrowding, is that someone has to draw the line somewhere. How many people? What types of crimes would be eligible for consideration? What about habitual repeat offenders? Where is the penalty for repeat crime after early release?

[DP25]

To anybody,who wants to comment this story:

read new book on the market:

"Send Them To hel_l" by Sebestian Williams

Yes, because a recently released convict low on cash would have absolutely no reason to write a less than honest sensationalist tall tale about his time in prison abroad.

Edited June 25, 2009 by DP25

[sriracha john]

He said Thailand was the fourth country in Asia with the largest number of prisoners after Kazakhstan, Taiwan and Singapore, and each inmate cost the Kingdom about Bt16,000 a year.

Kinda doubt these statistics and would like to see a source. What about China, North Korea, Burma, Vietnam, Japan, etc? Singapore with 5 million people has more prisoners than Thailand with 65 mil, or China with 1.2 billion?

Their stats seem to be quite askew as, indeed, China has many more total prisoners than any other country in Asia = 1,512,194

What they must be referring to is prison population per 100,000 total population... but then, even with that, their stats seem to be off:

Kazakhstan = 522

Taiwan = 250

Singapore = 388

Thailand = 401

btw, China = 117

World Prison Population List (fifth edition)

[Scott]

I, for one, look forward to having more petty criminals around to make life uncomfortable. So who should we let go first, bag snatchers, thieves, robbers, or perhaps the white collar criminals who steal from bank accounts. Those involved with fraud sound like a good group to let go--after all they best known (at least) here for their crimes against farangs.

[trogers]

Let our lawmakers decide. I would like to see sentencing laws changed to something like - 'Kill a lawmaker and serve a week's jail'. This should ease the overcrowding.

[parryhandy]

Heres a novel idea.How about getting rid of the 1000s of ridiculous laws that exist and have a police that solely protects people from physical harm and enforces property /ownship laws and NOTHING ELSE.The law and justice system throughout the developed and developing world has turned into an unstoppable money making juggernaut.Just supposing that suddenly everybody became honest and law abiding.Does anybody really believe that the police , courts , judges , lawyers etc will just say "oh well, best look for another line of work".

Its a business and now has little to do with law and order or right or wrong.

P.S. 16000 baht a year !! It costs 16000 baht a week to keep somebody locked up in the UK.

Edited June 25, 2009 by parryhandy

[HagenvonTronje]

He said Thailand was the fourth country in Asia with the largest number of prisoners after Kazakhstan, Taiwan and Singapore, and each inmate cost the Kingdom about Bt16,000 a year.

Kinda doubt these statistics and would like to see a source. What about China, North Korea, Burma, Vietnam, Japan, etc? Singapore with 5 million people has more prisoners than Thailand with 65 mil, or China with 1.2 billion?

Their stats seem to be quite askew as, indeed, China has many more total prisoners than any other country in Asia = 1,512,194

What they must be referring to is prison population per 100,000 total population... but then, even with that, their stats seem to be off:

Kazakhstan = 522

Taiwan = 250

Singapore = 388

Thailand = 401

btw, China = 117

World Prison Population List (fifth edition)

that stats are from 2002. the eighth edition, January 2009, has more recent figures.

Kazakhstan = 378

Taiwan = 276

Singapore = 267

Thailand = 257

China = 119

source: International Centre for Prison Studies

[Robert44]

My old company here in Thailand used to use prison labour for doing some light assy work (as requested by BOI) that we struggled to get done elsewhere but with the advent of SA800 and its like being adopted by most internationals (our customers) we had to stop.

Whether a good thing or not (as open to possible abuse) we did try to ensure that it allowed some prisoners to send monies to their famlies and improve basic conditions.

[fantuzi]

To anybody,who wants to comment this story:

read new book on the market:

"Send Them To hel_l" by Sebestian Williams

Yes, because a recently released convict low on cash would have absolutely no reason to write a less than honest sensationalist tall tale about his time in prison abroad.

But,I think it is better,that they write books instead of robbing banks again?Last week I watched with interest on CNN

interview with certain Gregory David Roberts -exBombay gangster(he is white OZie), ex-convict many times,one time - jail runaway,writer of novel"Shantaram".Best girl from CNN - presented him in TalkAsia!

His novel is worldwide bestseller - movie in the making with Jonny Depp(who else??),another novel - coming soon;whats wrong about it?