The Ministry of Justice announced on the 13th that “to cope with the spread of Corona 19 stably and quickly, it is necessary to alleviate overcrowding of correctional facilities, so we will conduct parole tomorrow (14th) early.”
The Ministry of Justice has expanded the number of people eligible for parole by easing the screening criteria for vulnerable patients, patients with underlying diseases, elderly people, etc., and model prisoners.
However, crimes that have caused social controversy, such as weapons and long-term prisoners, sexual violence, drunk driving (death, escape, serious injury), and child abuse are excluded from the expansion.
The reason that the Ministry of Justice is expanding the subject of parole is that the COVID-19 group infection from the Seoul Eastern Detention Center (hereinafter referred to as the Eastern Detention Center) continues to be unceasing and there is a concern that it will be transferred to other correctional facilities.
According to the Ministry of Justice, the cumulative number of corona19 confirmed cases at correctional facilities nationwide as of 8 am on that day is 1,249. There were 1,214 confirmed cases related to the Dongbu detention center (including family and acquaintances of the confirmed case).
Recently, a prisoner who was transferred to another correctional facility after receiving a negative test at the Dongbu Detention Center was confirmed by re-examination, or among the female prisoners in the Dongbu Detention Center who had not been confirmed so far, there have been several cases.
For this reason, the Ministry of Justice and the quarantine authorities decided to strengthen quarantine management in addition to expanding the targets for parole. It was decided to extend the isolation period before admission of new prisoners from 2 weeks to 3 weeks, and to perform rapid antigen testing and gene amplification (PCR) testing, respectively, before and before isolation.
In addition, it was decided to establish a’infectious disease rapid response team’ in the correctional facility where the confirmed patient came out, and a’correction facility Corona 19 emergency response team’ in which external experts participate. Each correctional facility will have a system for quarantine of confirmed patients and transport to hospitals, as well as a plan for national distribution.
In addition to this early parole, the Ministry of Justice plans to proceed with regular parole on the 29th as scheduled.
(yunhap news)