The Purposes of Correction and Improvements of Correctional Administration
The Ministry of Justice has revised the existing "law concerning the execution of criminal punishment" in the way that enhanced human rights for inmates and their ability for reintegration. To fulfil this goal, the authority changed the title of the law to "the Law concerning correctional facilities and the treatment for inmates and waited for legislative process. In the same context, the corrections bureau in the Ministry recently announced "The Strategic Plan for the Changes in Correctional Administration" to show its committment for innovation. This article reviewed the contents of the new law and the strategic plan, and then pointed out some limitations of these efforts. When it comes to the new law-The law concerning correctional facilities and the treatment for inmates, the contents of the law did not reach the expectation, first because there are too many exceptions that breach the basic human rights of inmates and second, the law did not make any efforts or policies to enhance the adapatability of inmates into a wider society compulsory. Instead, it allow authorities use discretionary power. As far as the Strategic Plan is concerned, it seems too idealistic. In other words, many proposed plan is hard to achieve in reality. Therefore I suggested some alternative ideas such as developing correctional programs for short-time inmates, improving living conditions in facilities, linking classification system and progressive treatment system, and increasing parolees by utilizing the probation system.