TOKYO, May 31 (News On Japan) –
Japan has formally abolished each penal servitude and imprisonment with out labor, changing them with a newly launched ‘custodial sentence’ system. This marks the primary main reform of the nation’s penal code because it was established in 1907.
Under the brand new system, inmates might be categorized into 24 teams based mostly on components comparable to age, nationality, presence of habit, and sentence size. Each group will obtain work assignments and steerage tailor-made to their particular traits.
For instance, aged inmates with dementia might be positioned in a “geriatric welfare program,” which focuses on actions geared toward enhancing bodily and cognitive features. Inmates with a historical past of drug use might be labeled underneath a “rehabilitation program for addiction,” with a stronger emphasis positioned on therapy and restoration. The intention is to shift the first perform of incarceration from punishment to the prevention of repeat offenses.
Although the brand new custodial sentence will apply to people convicted after June 1st, the Ministry of Justice additionally plans to step by step reassign present inmates serving time underneath the outdated system into the brand new classification teams.
The reform was pushed by the rising have to modernize Japan’s correctional system, significantly in response to the rising variety of aged prisoners, the rising prevalence of drug-related offenses, and the excessive price of repeat offenses. By eliminating the excellence between penal servitude and easy imprisonment, the brand new system goals to create a unified and versatile method to incarceration that higher helps rehabilitation.
Under the brand new custodial sentence system, all inmates might be assessed and labeled into 24 completely different teams based mostly on components comparable to age, nationality, sentence size, habit historical past, and psychological or bodily well being. Each group will obtain individualized packages that align with their particular traits and rehabilitation wants. For instance, aged inmates with dementia or different age-related impairments could also be positioned in welfare-oriented programs designed to keep up or enhance bodily and cognitive functioning. Inmates with a historical past of substance abuse might be positioned in recovery-focused packages that emphasize therapy, counseling, and behavioral remedy. Younger offenders could also be assigned to instructional or vocational coaching packages that put together them for reintegration into the workforce upon launch.
The underlying philosophy of 拘禁刑 shifts the emphasis of incarceration from punitive measures towards the prevention of recidivism. Rather than specializing in “punishment” within the conventional sense, the brand new system prioritizes rehabilitation, social reintegration, and assist for behavioral change. This method displays each home considerations about repeat offenses and worldwide criticism of Japan’s traditionally inflexible penal practices. Although the brand new sentence applies solely to crimes dedicated after June 1, 2025, the Ministry of Justice plans to step by step reclassify present inmates serving time underneath the earlier system into the brand new classes. By integrating correctional science and individualized assist into its jail system, Japan goals to modernize its method to prison justice, cut back the chance of reoffending, and create a extra humane and efficient correctional surroundings.
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Source: TBS