Preface：

Since January, 2002, Ministry of Justice has adopted a broadband internet connection to have synchronous video signal technology and thus has arranged a trial of matters about ‘Long-Distance Meetings’ in four prisons. The arrangement is to help inmates’ families to use a video signal facility of prison authorities in their local areas to communicate with these inmates. Their family members do not need to spend time take vehicles to make a long journey to visit the inmates who are sentenced or detained. Since January 2004, people can proceed with matters about ‘Long-Distance Meetings’ in all the nation-wide prison authorities.

Procedure：

In our regulations, an inmate's ‘close family member or relative’ means his or her spouse, direct or lineal relation, collateral relation blood relation within 3-grade level, relation by affinity within 2-grade level. Close family members or relatives can fill in an Application Form for Long-Distance Meeting (the application form can be downloaded from the website of Ministry of Justice -- http://www.moj.gov.tw/eservice/index.asp).
They also need to enclose relevant documentary proofs (an original copy of household registration certificate or a photocopy is enclosed to prove their identity as an inmate's close family member or relative.). Please send a registered mail or fax to the prison authority where an inmate is sentenced or detained, to ask for using an approach of long-distance meeting one week in advance.
After investigating the inmate's details and giving its permission, the prison authority will notify the applicant of a meeting date and time via telephone, correspondence and e-mail. After receiving a notification sheet, the applicant needs to contact his or her local prison authority to proceed with a long-distance meeting by following the arranged date and time. Also, he or she should also bring his or her documentary proof of identity, fill in a Registration Form for Long-Distance Meeting and proceed with a registration procedure. Then the applicant can be successful in meeting the inmate on the other side via an internet connection.

Efficiency Benefit：

In the past, an inmate’s family needed to take a long and difficult journey to arrive at the prison authority where he or she stayed and to see him or her. Now, this problem is solved. Family members can save their time and energy of traveling from one place to another via a video signal facility set in their local authority. With sincere and affectionate communications with his or her family, an inmate can be more stable.

Environment via Internet：

Proceeding with a matter of long-distance meetings, the internet connection among prison authorities adopts the Government Service Network (GSN) and ADSL (512kbps, symmetry of upper and lower lines) to form a Virtual Private Network (VPN). There are also other relevant video signal facilities (video camera), colour TV set, and so on.

Meeting Time：

In the initial schedule period, the hours for meeting are 14:00-16:30pm from Monday to Friday. An inmate’s family can only apply for half an hour each time (half an hour is the length for long-distance meeting each time).

Contact tel. No.: 06-5783498 Ext.37