Japan revises criticised prison law

[FG Lurker]

Japan revises criticised prison law
stuff.co.nz, May 19, 2005

Japan enacted legislation yesterday replacing a nearly century-old prison law in an effort to improve inmate treatment, often criticised by human rights groups as brutal.

The new law results from a re-evaluation of Japan's jail system after the discovery of fatal abuse of inmates at Nagoya Prison in 2001 and 2002.

Under the new law, which replaces one from 1908, the human rights of prisoners will be legally guaranteed, correctional education will be made mandatory, and the transparency of prison management will be increased, a Justice Ministry official said.

"The previous law was extremely old, and the human rights of prisoners were not clearly stated in it," she said. "Also, there was no law that made re-education mandatory.

"This law firmly establishes that the human rights of prisoners must be respected," she added.

Guards will also have to undergo training on the human rights of prisoners.

(Full Story)

I wonder if anything will actually change...?

Things here are a bit over-the-top, but that said I hope Japan doesn't end up with "club med"-like prisons either.

[dimwit]

Yeah, They will start beating them with telephone books so they don't leave any marks. It is funny that after WWII the Americans didn't force them to change their prison system, given the mistreatment of prisoners during the war.

[Buraku]

[Cubed]

Nope.

Not convinced. Had a few of your rights taken away while in prison? Well sorry about that. You forfeited some of your rights when you tried to smuggle a f*ckin KILO of dope into Japan!

A kilo is a lot of marajuana - it's the size of a housebrick in resin form, about a binbag full in dried and pressed plant. Enough to get you stoned for two years, smokin it every day. I know that from seeing a key in Amsterdam where it's legalized

The penalty for marajuana smuggling is death in some E Asian countries, so this guy got off very lightly, in fact he must be a tard to bring the stuff into any S E Asian country.

Do you think he learned his lesson? Do you think he'll think about it again. I don't. Now you know why there are not many recidivist offenders in Japan.

[Tsuru]

Easy now, the story goes that he was stupid for taking another man's luggage through customs, it's not like he wittingly tried to get drugs into Japan.

Stupidity isn't a crime in any country as far as I know.

And who would be stupid enough to try and bring pot into Japan if you're staying for a prolonged period? Just grow your own.

[Greji]

Easy now, the story goes that he was stupid for taking another man's luggage through customs, it's not like he wittingly tried to get drugs into Japan.

Stupidity isn't a crime in any country as far as I know.
-snip-.

Tsuru, do you really, truly believe that?
99.99% of all the smugglers caught claim they were doing a favor! Carrying luggage for a friend, or in a lot of cases, they had met an unknown person at the airport who asked them to carry a large suitcase for them.

Most people traveling these days worry about being overweight with their own luggage and not a lot would be able even to do such a kind humanitarian favor as to haul Joe Dickhead's dope stash for him.

I agree that stupidity abounds, but come on, think about it for awhile, especially now in the era of the terriorist where everywhere you go there are warnings about carrying things for other people, about luggage other than your own. The first thing that the customs agent asks you after "do you have anything to declare" is "are you carrying anything for someone else!"

I just don't buy it. I gotta go along with the cops on this one.

[Tsuru]

That's what I was told, and I didn't feel the need to think about it for a single second. I'm naive like that, I guess

As far believing goes, I couldn't possibly care less.

What I do know is that everytime I get my luggage off the belt before entering this godforsaken place I check whether the lock or the suitcase itself was compromised, I open it and check it. If I find something that wasn't there when I checked it in I'm prepared to remove everything that says it's mine and disown it right there and then.
Just because I'm not prepared to rot in an Asian prison for the next 20 years because some asshole bagthrower felt he could use my bags to get something into the country. It's been done before, you know...

[Charles]

..I had 1 kilo of hashish in my possession and I was convicted for violating the cannabis control laws of Japan. For my crime I was sentenced to 5 years forced labor and sent to Fuchu prison in Tokyo. I had no idea how hard and lonely the next few years of my life were going to be..

[homesweethome]

Easy now, the story goes that he was stupid for taking another man's luggage through customs, it's not like he wittingly tried to get drugs into Japan.

Stupidity isn't a crime in any country as far as I know.
-snip-.

Tsuru, do you really, truly believe that?
99.99% of all the smugglers caught claim they were doing a favor! Carrying luggage for a friend, or in a lot of cases, they had met an unknown person at the airport who asked them to carry a large suitcase for them.

Most people traveling these days worry about being overweight with their own luggage and not a lot would be able even to do such a kind humanitarian favor as to haul Joe Dickhead's dope stash for him.

I agree that stupidity abounds, but come on, think about it for awhile, especially now in the era of the terriorist where everywhere you go there are warnings about carrying things for other people, about luggage other than your own. The first thing that the customs agent asks you after "do you have anything to declare" is "are you carrying anything for someone else!"

I just don't buy it. I gotta go along with the cops on this one.

http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20051020p2a00m0na019000c.html

Ex-MSDF sergeant, girlfriend handed suspended prison terms for growing hemp
YOKOSUKA, Kanagawa -- A former Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) sergeant and his live-in girlfriend were slapped Thursday with suspended prison terms for growing hemp at their home.

Growing it and selling it, caught red handed but given a slap on the wrist.
I know about the double standard for gaijin and nippon jin when it comes to the court system, but it seems to depend quite a bit on the nationality of the person with the stupid qualities. Customs officiers are quite willing to accept that a Japanese person could be so easily duped into carrying a shit load of pot into the country for somebody, but not gaijin.

5 years at hard labor seems pretty stiff to me, especially in light of lesser sentences given to native offenders of the same offence. In fact I will dig it up and translate it if anybody challenges me, but I came across a research article recently on prison sentences given to gaijin and natives for comparitively the same offences. There is quite a discrepency. And this doesn't even take into account the police actions and treatment of gaijin vs native offenders. Amnesty international makes a point of this all the time.

[Cubed]

In fact I will dig it up and translate it if anybody challenges me, but I came across a research article recently on prison sentences given to gaijin and natives for comparitively the same offences.

Just post the link to the article and we'll muddle through it if you like. Sounds like interesting reading.

[Greji]

..I had 1 kilo of hashish in my possession and I was convicted for violating the cannabis control laws of Japan. For my crime I was sentenced to 5 years forced labor and sent to Fuchu prison in Tokyo. I had no idea how hard and lonely the next few years of my life were going to be..

Charles, I think I recognize that song! The operative word here for that story is HASH!

Before you start comparing this with simple possession use (or cultivation which is punishable in Japan, even if it's your bird's food that went to seed), it is SMUGGLING which adds another altogether new look on the offense. Next it is HASH, you got a key of Hash and get caught anywhere you are going away.

With this dude's intelligence, I can't buy anything he says.

Buraku can get on the Nick Barker train if he would like, but I think it has left for Hogwarts already.

[Charles]

..I had 1 kilo of hashish in my possession and I was convicted for violating the cannabis control laws of Japan. For my crime I was sentenced to 5 years forced labor and sent to Fuchu prison in Tokyo. I had no idea how hard and lonely the next few years of my life were going to be..

Charles, I think I recognize that song! The operative word here for that story is HASH!

Before you start comparing this with simple possession use (or cultivation which is punishable in Japan, even if it's your bird's food that went to seed), it is SMUGGLING which adds another altogether new look on the offense. Next it is HASH, you got a key of Hash and get caught anywhere you are going away...

Everyone knows that tune, but they always forget the lyrics, "don't do the crime if you can't do the time..."

[Big Booger]

I think the point of the guy's post is not to seek pitty for his crime. He admits that and agrees he should be punished.

But an inhumane criminal system does nothing to help rehabilitate offenders, especially non-violent ones...

From what he wrote it sounds a bit rough.. I couldn't imagine having to obey those retarded rules...

There are enough of those dumbass rules on the "outside" for me to deal with...

There should be some sort of checks and balances to prevent cruel and unusual punishment and downright torture.

If not, those that mistreat criminals are themselves criminals.

[sparkzilla]

One kilo is not for personal use. I am pretty certain that the guy knew that if he was caught he would face a severe sentence. Drug smuggling is not a drug crime, but an economic one. Why should we feel pity for any person who accepts a risk equation that on one side will make them wealthy and on the other will put them in jail? Given current conditions (society thinks drugs are bad), if the guy was prepared to sell the drugs for a higher profit in Japan, then he should accept the higher risks for being caught in Japan.

[American Oyaji]

If they tried to put me in a Japanese jail for something I didn't do, they would have a VERY tough time taking me to prison.

In fact. I'd never reach the jail.

[homesweethome]

In fact I will dig it up and translate it if anybody challenges me, but I came across a research article recently on prison sentences given to gaijin and natives for comparitively the same offences.

Just post the link to the article and we'll muddle through it if you like. Sounds like interesting reading.

I came across it in a law journal at the law school where I work. I will look it up, scan it and post it if possible.

[Cubed]

If they tried to put me in a Japanese jail for something I didn't do, they would have a VERY tough time taking me to prison.

Ha! You make it sound like you'd have a choice! Like they would have to beg for your co-operation. Don't you know that's what they have big sticks and handcuffs for? After a good beating from them, you'd go meekly to your cell like ummmm ... a pussycat.

[Tsuru]

If they tried to put me in a Japanese jail for something I didn't do, they would have a VERY tough time taking me to prison.

Ha! You make it sound like you'd have a choice! Like they would have to beg for your co-operation. Don't you know that's what they have big sticks and handcuffs for? After a good beating from them, you'd go meekly to your cell like ummmm ... a pussycat.

I think AO meant that more a long the lines of him putting up such an ordeal there would be nothing left of him to put in jail in the end