監獄作為國家執行刑罰的場域,固然具懲罰性質,也賦予教化的重責。無 論各方所持的正義觀為何,多數的受刑人終將回到社會,協助復歸的工作無可 避免。在監內施以有意義的教化,前提在於人類基本生理需求獲得支持。台灣 自 2013 年將矯正機關收容人納入全民健康保險,引入社區醫療於監內開設日 間門診,配合緊急外醫、保外醫治等就醫管道。惟實務上,超額收容環境、戒 護與醫護人力不足、保外醫治審酌門檻的透明性不足、在監及保外醫治死亡率 偏高等監所面臨之困境,民間除了持續倡議刑事政策的修繕,更有賴公共衛生 措施作為前端預防,提升監所整體的衛生保健與疾病防治能力。
關鍵字
受刑人、監所管理員、矯正機關、緊急外醫、保外醫治、衛生及醫療
Prisons are not only for retribution, but for reformation as well. The majority of inmates will someday be released. It is the responsibility of the authorites to assist in the rehabilitation and social reintegration of prisoners. Although prisoners have been enrolled in the National Health Insurance since 2013 and outpatient services in custody and out-of-prison medical treatment have been established, yet overcrowding, a lack of prison officers and medical personnel, a lack of transparency regarding the credentials and examination of out-of-prison medical treatment, and a high mortality rate both in custody and out-of-prison are all problems that correctional institutions confront. This is a result of previous harsh criminal policy that civil society now tries to mitigate. Public sanitation is another core component of preventive health care and disease control in prisons.
Keywords
inmates, prison officers, correctional institution, out-of-prison medical treatment, sanitation and medical services