Is The Taiwanese Justice System Just?

[Gao Bohan]

I'm starting this thread out of ignorance. I had always taken it for granted that Taiwan is a civilized, democratic nation, bound to the rule of law, and has been at least since the end of martial rule. But having read many threads on the topic over the years, I get the impression that the entire Taiwanese justice system is at best inept, at worst, hopelessly corrupt. I can't count how many times I've seen posters refer to Taiwanese police, prosecutors, and judges as venial, vindictive, and corrupt. One recent example is a thread about a Canadian who is alleged to have stolen a NT$25 bag of chips, and seven police officers showed up to arrest him. Other cases report prosecutors hell bent on imprisoning people, both foreigners and locals, for minor crimes, will ignoring the far greater offenses of organized crime. As stated, that's just the impression I get from reading these posts. What do you folks think about Taiwan's justice system?

[tommy525]

No doubt justice is not served in many instances world wide. America included. Is Taiwan's justice system corrupt more then others? Certainly a topic of debate.

In England violent criminals are often sentenced to terms where they could in about 20 years get out . While in the USA very often people get off with only a few years in jail.

Sure corruption may exist in Taiwan but what do you call hiring a high powered defense team at the cost of millions? IS that not a corruption of justice?

Justice if truly equal must serve all equally. But Justice is in fact blind fore it doesnt see all the facets and often does not arrive at the truth.

I don't think any country has a near perfect system do you?

[Gao Bohan]

Good points, tommy. But my perspective on the American justice system is that is generally fair and objective. Laws and regulations, particularly in the criminal arena, are rigorously enforced. Even at the national level, congressmen, senators, and governors are routinely investigated and when crime is discovered, prosecuted and imprisoned. There are, I believe, two former governors and several congressmen currently incarcerated in federal penitentiaries. Criminals running the gamut from petty thieves to rich and powerful inside traders are made to serve their time. And members of the justice system who accept bribes or otherwise become corrupted are likewise caught and punished. I'm not saying our system is perfect, but I believe most Americans perceive our justice system as well, just.

But I didn't mean for this to become a comparison between Taiwan and the US. Not criticizing your comparison at all, just saying there's a reason I posted this in the Taiwan Politics forum rather than the International Politics forum. I just want to know if people trust the Taiwanese justice system.

[tommy525]

Had only one personal appearance in a TW courtroom. And that was related to a traffic accident. My car was hit head on by a truck in my lane. We went to court to get an award for damages incurred. The insurance company paid for the repair of the car but my boss wanted the truck owners to pay more then just to fix the car. I was happy that I was ok and the car got fixed (company car anyway). The court declared that the trucking company should pay for our rental car for the period that our car was being repaired, minus weekends (being a company car used for work monday to friday). I thought the ruling was very fair.

[beach_bum]

I'm starting this thread out of ignorance. I had always taken it for granted that Taiwan is a civilized, democratic nation, bound to the rule of law, and has been at least since the end of martial rule. But having read many threads on the topic over the years, I get the impression that the entire Taiwanese justice system is at best inept, at worst, hopelessly corrupt. I can't count how many times I've seen posters refer to Taiwanese police, prosecutors, and judges as venial, vindictive, and corrupt. One recent example is a thread about a Canadian who is alleged to have stolen a NT$25 bag of chips, and seven police officers showed up to arrest him. Other cases report prosecutors hell bent on imprisoning people, both foreigners and locals, for minor crimes, will ignoring the far greater offenses of organized crime. As stated, that's just the impression I get from reading these posts. What do you folks think about Taiwan's justice system?

The problem with forums like this is there is no way to verify whether a post is legit or if someone's opinion expressed here is authoritative or not. This site is populated by mainly (but not exclusively) westerners who vary in everything from education levels, lengths of residence, local language abilities and occupations. And, of course, they all have their opinions. Whom do you trust? While I don't doubt that most express their views and opinions sincerely, I will suggest that if you read these forums as your sole source of information about Taiwan, you will get a very distorted and somewhat incomplete impression of this place.

[Gao Bohan]

The problem with forums like this is there is no way to verify whether a post is legit or if someone's opinion expressed here is authoritative or not. This site is populated by mainly (but not exclusively) westerners who vary in everything from education levels, lengths of residence, local language abilities and occupations. And, of course, they all have their opinions. Whom do you trust? While I don't doubt that most express their views and opinions sincerely, I will suggest that if you read these forums as your sole source of information about Taiwan, you will get a very distorted and somewhat incomplete impression of this place.

True, true. But I'm not writing a dissertation here, just hoping to start an interesting discussion.

[Satellite TV]

. I just want to know if people trust the Taiwanese justice system.

Of course we do, but only when we win our cases, whatever they may be.

When we lose it's because our lawyers fucked us, or the police, the judges, and most importantly of all, gangsters, had it in for us, especially the ones that own these hostess bars and KTV's.

[Satellite TV]

Had only one personal appearance in a TW courtroom. And that was related to a traffic accident. My car was hit head on by a truck in my lane. .

Come on Tommy, you played chicken and you won. You didn't back out.

There was an accident on one of the news channels today, a bus was driving some way behind a 4 tonne truck and an oncoming vehicle tried a passing manouver around a curve in teh road and went head on into the truck, the bus nearly stopped in time but rear ended the truck. Bus driver had a video cam running.

[tommy525]

Had only one personal appearance in a TW courtroom. And that was related to a traffic accident. My car was hit head on by a truck in my lane. .

Come on Tommy, you played chicken and you won. You didn't back out.

aCtually WISH someone had put it on youtube tho. Because in reality my jaws dropped when i rounded the bend and saw this blue truck completely in my lane. I had a stick shift so i completely stopped and was in neutral. The truck crashed into me (no seat belt) and my face went up against the sunvisor and my nose was slightly bent by the piece of metal in there. My car was smashed back bout 12 feet. Cop said my shifting into neutral may have helped me greatly here, especially since i didnt have my belt on. Dummy me. Thank God I didnt have a car with an airbag too as that wouldve likely hurt me more. NO seatbelt makes airbags possibly deadly.

There was nothing I could do but sit there and wait for the truck to hit me. All I saw was the truck driver obviously panicked and no breaking attempt was made at all, his hands were shielding his face as he crashed into me.

Funny thing was? I had a deja vu just before the crash. Where I saw a blue truck coming around the bend as I was rounding it (in the hills of Taoyuan) and lo and behold there it was in reality !


This dejavu was much less fun then the one I had previously that year (IIRC) where I was driving from Fulong to Keelung (Jilong) past midnite on the coastal road and i suddenly thought, it would be nice if i round the bend and there was a pretty girl there ??

And lo and behold i rounded the bend there in the dark and I couldnt believe my eyes. There was a pretty girl in high heels walking all by herself along the road??

I thought I saw a ghost? So i slowed down and put the high beams on her and inched up closer to her. Finally came alongside and lowered my windows, adn this young lady of bout 20 was WALKING back to Keelung (Jilong) in the middle of the night !

I said to her thats very dangerous and gave her a ride home. Had a quick meal at a noodle stand in Keelung (Jilong) and drove her home.

Too bad nothing happened out of that but I think i may have saved a young girls life? She had gotten into an argument with her mom and took the bus to Fulong and decided to WALK BACK. (young and stoopid those young girls are indeed)>

Ok, you didnt want a short reply right?

[Satellite TV]

Ok, you didnt want a short reply right?

It's ok Tommy525, sort of off topic. I like the court system in the Manila. Over there only people without money ever get to go to jail.