Urgent action needed to prevent recidivism effectively
The nation is reeling from the shock of a horrible crime in which a man with 14 previous convictions, who had cut off his electronic monitoring anklet, turned himself in to police and confessed he had killed two women. The man surnamed Kang, 56, is suspected of murdering a woman Thursday before breaking off his anklet Friday and killing another woman Sunday.
Kang was released from prison in May after serving a 15-year jail term for robbery and sexual assault. He was ordered to wear a location-tracking device for the next five years because he was a repeat sex offender. After the Ministry of Justice received the alarm indicating that Kang had cut off his anklet and fled, the police visited his empty home five times in two days. But they couldn't enter his home because they didn't have a warrant, although the body of the first victim was inside. The second murder might have been prevented had the police known that Kang had already killed one woman.
The electronic anklet device was introduced in 2008 to track the location of ex-convicts, but there are still doubts on its effectiveness in preventing repeat offenses. In fact, 303 repeat sex crimes have been committed by ex-convicts wearing electronic anklets over the last five years.
On Monday, the justice ministry announced further measures to prevent ex-convicts wearing the anklets from reoffending. The measures include making the device with stronger materials and enhancing cooperation with the police for the speedy arrest of those who remove it. But if the past is any guide, it's too early to be at ease.
The ministry has upgraded the material of the anklet's strap six times since 2008, but the upgrades did little to stop the wearers from fleeing after removing them. This year alone, 13 ex-convicts ― including Kang ― cut off their anklets, and two are still on the run. Things must be different this time around. The ministry should do whatever it can immediately to prevent recidivism and to protect innocent people more effectively.
The nation is reeling from the shock of a horrible crime in which a man with 14 previous convictions, who had cut off his electronic monitoring anklet, turned himself in to police and confessed he had killed two women. The man surnamed Kang, 56, is suspected of murdering a woman Thursday before breaking off his anklet Friday and killing another woman Sunday.
Kang was released from prison in May after serving a 15-year jail term for robbery and sexual assault. He was ordered to wear a location-tracking device for the next five years because he was a repeat sex offender. After the Ministry of Justice received the alarm indicating that Kang had cut off his anklet and fled, the police visited his empty home five times in two days. But they couldn't enter his home because they didn't have a warrant, although the body of the first victim was inside. The second murder might have been prevented had the police known that Kang had already killed one woman.
The electronic anklet device was introduced in 2008 to track the location of ex-convicts, but there are still doubts on its effectiveness in preventing repeat offenses. In fact, 303 repeat sex crimes have been committed by ex-convicts wearing electronic anklets over the last five years.
On Monday, the justice ministry announced further measures to prevent ex-convicts wearing the anklets from reoffending. The measures include making the device with stronger materials and enhancing cooperation with the police for the speedy arrest of those who remove it. But if the past is any guide, it's too early to be at ease.
The ministry has upgraded the material of the anklet's strap six times since 2008, but the upgrades did little to stop the wearers from fleeing after removing them. This year alone, 13 ex-convicts ― including Kang ― cut off their anklets, and two are still on the run. Things must be different this time around. The ministry should do whatever it can immediately to prevent recidivism and to protect innocent people more effectively.
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