Pubdate: Sat, 08 Jan 2005
Source: Taipei Times, The (Taiwan)
Section: Page 2
Copyright: 2005 The Taipei Times
Contact:  http://www.taipeitimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1553
Author: Cody Yiu

DEATH PENALTY CHANGES LAUDED

Gradual Phase-Out: Activists Said Changes To The Criminal Code That Rule 
Out Capital Punishment For Those Under 18 Or Over 80 Are A Step In The 
Right Direction

A group opposed to the death penalty commended yesterday's overhaul of the 
Criminal Code through a law amendment aimed at gradually abolishing the 
death penalty. The groups also urged for the strengthening of correctional 
counseling to inmates.

Yesterday's final reading of the Criminal Code amendment abolished the 
death penalty for individuals under the age of 18 or over the age of 80.

"This amendment is on the right track to abolish the death penalty. We 
think the time to gradually abolish more crimes leading to death penalties 
in the Code has arrived," said Wu Chi-kwang ('d'S%z), an assistant 
professor of law at Fu Jen Catholic University, a leading member of the 
Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty.

The alliance suggested that crimes that do not directly inflict harm on 
human life should be the first to have the death penalty abolished.

Wu stated that the death penalty for crimes such as drug trafficking and 
kidnappings where victims remain alive should be the first to be abolished.

"Removing the death penalty from all the crimes at once may be a little too 
much for the public; therefore, gradual changes could be made," Wu said.

In order to ensure the public that the death penalty would not result in 
increased recidivism of released offenders, Wu emphasized that correctional 
and counseling services on the part of the prison administration must be 
strengthened.

In addition, penalties for those who turn themselves in are also eased. 
According to the amendment, those who turn themselves will receive a lesser 
penalty than in the current Code.

Currently, Article 56 of the Criminal Code stipulates that if several 
successive acts constitute similar offenses, such successive acts may be 
considered to be one offense, but the punishment prescribed for the offense 
may be increased by up to one half.

An amendment was made to this article that all crimes will be classified 
through "crime type" and penalties will be handled independently.

The new change is intended to curb recidivism.

This major amendment, which was the first in the past 50 years, will take 
effect on July 1, 2006. 
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MAP posted-by: Beth