Special committee to monitor dangerous convicts

SATURDAY, January 04, 2020

The Justice Ministry will establish a special committee to monitor prisoners with repetitive and violent offences within the next week, Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said on Saturday (January 4).

There were recent reports that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had ordered the justice minister to overhaul the sentence-reduction system to prevent another serious case of a prisoner gaining freedom and then committing a crime.
Somsak said that the Department of Probation will preside over this committee, while the Department of Special Investigation, Department of Corrections, and people with expertise in modern technologies will join as members.
“For people’s safety in daily lives, this ad hoc committee will analyse the prisoners’ personal information and monitor their behaviours closely,” he said. “The official regulation and laws will be issued later, which should take about five to six months.”
He further explained that the ministry found some 260 prisoners out of 20,000 with repetitive and violent offences, such as murder, rape, and serial killing who should be monitored closely.
“The process of reducing the punishment of these prisoners will be different from normal prisoners,” he said. “Also, the committee will monitor some prisoners who have been released, but have risky behaviour.”
He added that he will reveal the committee’s plans and details on January 8.
“We work with long-term and sustainable plans for the safety of all people,” he added.