Reporter: Wang Ruxiang / Photographer: Gao Ziyao / Editor: News Center Report
Published: 2026/02/07 17:48
Last Updated: 2026/02/07 18:33
In recent years, the home conscription system has seen a surge in cases of inmates overstaying their leave after visiting family. Statistics show that 49 escape incidents have occurred in the past 10 years, with 12 of them occurring in Hualien Ziqiang and Tainan Mingde home conscription prisons within just two years. Wang Boqi, Associate Professor of the Department of Crime Prevention at Ming Chuan University, pointed out that while the selection system may have flaws, the inmates themselves should bear the greatest responsibility. Experts suggest adopting electronic monitoring to track inmates’ whereabouts in real time.
The purpose of home conscription prisons is to help inmates adapt to life outside of prison more quickly; however, recently, there have been numerous cases of inmates overstaying their leave after visiting family. According to correctional records, from 2011 to March 2021, a total of 39 inmates failed to return home after visiting their residences while serving time in external service prisons.
In August 2022, a shocking prison escape occurred: Lin Hsin-wu, an inmate with a prior robbery conviction serving time at Ming-te External Service Prison, overstayed his leave after returning home for a visit and even committed murder while on leave. In addition, Lien San-jung, a gun and artillery offender, escaped while working outside the prison and was eventually apprehended at an internet cafe; Kang Yu-hao, who was on the run for five months and wanted nationwide, also escaped. These cases have raised questions about whether external service prisons have become havens for escapees.
While open prison spaces are intended to help inmates adapt to the outside world more quickly, their implementation appears to have shortcomings. On January 7, 2025, the law was amended to relax the selection criteria for external service prisons. However, regarding the system itself, how inmates report back and are tracked after returning home for visits is crucial. A robust monitoring mechanism is essential, such as electronic surveillance and comprehensive screening, to ensure timely tracking of inmates’ whereabouts.
Hidden Concerns about the External Service Prison System: Experts Believe Inmates’ Own Problems
Wang Po-Chi, Associate Professor of the Department of Criminal Justice at Ming Chuan University ,stated that the problem with external service prisons lies in the requirement for inmates to undergo selection. This selection system may have flaws and warrants review. He believes that since problems still occur after selection, the individuals involved should reflect on their own actions. However, some experts argue that escapes are primarily due to the inmates’ own issues and cannot be entirely attributed to the external service prison system. Of course, there is still much room for discussion regarding the regulations. How to help inmates adapt to life outside while simultaneously protecting the lives and property of others remains an important issue.