“Standing On the Shoulders of Giants”
The Seminar and Sharing of the Topics of Correction by the Agency of Corrections
The Experience of the Institutional Correction Management System of Texas and California of the US

　　In order to learn from the experience of felon management of prisons in the US, the Agency of Corrections and Chinese Correctional Association have organized the seminar of “The Reflection on the Correctional Authority’s System: Learn from the Experience of the Institutional Correction Management System of Texas and California of the US” on the 13th of April, 2017. This seminar was held by Mr. Huang, Jun-tang, the director of the Agency of Corrections. Mr. Lin, Cheng-hong, the director of Chinese Correctional Association, Prof. Lai, Yong-lian and Prof. Tze, Wen-Yan of Central Police University, and 125 correctional personnel from the northern Taiwan and students have also participated in this seminar.

　　In order to learn the latest information and understand the differences and advantages of different management models, the Agency of Corrections have arranged a visiting to the correctional institutes in the US in 2016. With the help of Prof. Lai, Yong-lian, the director of Chinese Correctional Association, Sam Houston State University, and the leaders of Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the trip members visited some representative prisons in the two states, and conducted many seminars and discussions with the professors and experts of criminology, the department of justice and the correctional discipline. These experiences granted the fruitful results of this trip and they are invaluable.

　　In the seminar, Director Huang pointed out that the correctional institutes were facing many challenges in the latest years. The society had great expectation as well as demand on the correctional institutes. However, the Agency of Corrections had only limited manpower and resources, and the correctional personnel were working harshly. He had inspired the fellows of the correctional institutes once he got to the position. He also wanted to understand and fulfill the needs of the fellows and to support them further. The world is changing, as well as the correctional systems of the other countries, and we should all be aware of the trend and changes of them. Director Huang said that it was a rarely moment for both the academic and practical personnel to be at the same place to discuss and to share. Through the sharing and analyzing of the correctional rationale, organization and details of Texas and California, and the comparison between these two places and Taiwan, it was hopeful that more ideas could be inspired. These experiences and ideas would also facilitate the correctional works in Taiwan.

　　This seminar started with the wonderful speeches of Prof. Lai, Yong-lian and the editor, Mr. Lin, Xue-ming. It ended with the seminar held by Director Huang. This seminar allowed the correctional personnel, scholars and the US trip members to communicate and discuss. All the participants agreed that they benefited from this seminar. This year, it so happens that the judicature reform conference is ongoing. The society’s concern about the correctional works increases gradually. In the future, the Agency of Corrections will organize more seminars like to investigate important topics. It is believed that the seminars can not only bring new information to our correctional fellows, but also serve as references for the correctional policy evaluation and promotion.