AI will be increasingly utilized in prisons to address staffing shortages, as specified by an officials' statement.
The Ministry of Justice's Agency of Corrections in Taiwan is taking significant steps to address the challenges posed by overcrowding and staff shortages in its correctional facilities.
Under the leadership of Director Lin Hsien-ming, two major initiatives are currently underway. The first is the development of a technology-driven security network, designed to improve monitoring and recording systems for better surveillance. This network includes the installation of electric fences around the perimeter, which trigger alarms for unauthorized people or vehicles. If a prisoner leaves an assigned area, the system also triggers an alert.
Digital surveillance cameras have been upgraded from analog in all facilities, and footage is uploaded to a cloud-based system. This system uses facial recognition and detection features to determine the location of each prisoner and the number of inmates in each area.
The second initiative is the integration of technology into staff management and inmate rehabilitation programs. Inmates can now use a digitalized system to purchase daily necessities, similar to a fast-food kiosk, with facial recognition, scanning, and payment verification.
Lin Hsien-ming has emphasized that these new systems will be continuously improved, tested, and rolled out across prisons based on the latest technological advancements. The goal is to reduce the need for constant patrols, helping to alleviate staff shortages.
Taiwan's correctional facilities are facing long-term overcrowding, exacerbated by recent government crackdowns on fraud and money laundering that have resulted in an additional 8,000 prisoners. The Agency of Corrections plans to implement AI and smart technologies to create "smart prisons," aiming to improve efficiency, security, and rehabilitation efforts.
Despite the progress made, the search results do not provide information about the name of the head of Taiwan's Ministry of Justice Agency for Corrections who is responsible for implementing artificial intelligence and smart technologies in correctional facilities. However, with Lin Hsien-ming at the helm of the Agency of Corrections, it is clear that the implementation of these technologies is a top priority.
