행형법 전부개정 법률안에 대한 비판적 검토

Abstract

The Korean Penal Execution Act has been revised several times for the purpose of strengthening the ability of adaptation to a society for prisoners. This article has reviewed major issues of the draft for revision and analyzed the propriety of the issues. The paper addresses the issues in sequence of the draft for revision and they are as follows: First of all, it explores an extension of human rights for prisoners, such as the issues of security level of correctional facilities, construction criteria of correctional facilities, duties of the head of prison, freedom of religion in prison, freedom of writing, kinds of protective equipments, kinds of punishments, consideration of minority and the social weak, declaration of presumption of innocence of the convicted, and the principle of sole internment for a person who is sentenced to death etc. In particular, the government has to provide adequate medical facilities for a prisoner's needs Moreover, prison officials may be obligated to provide continuing medical treatment to newly released prisoners until the prisoners are able to obtain medical care on their own. In sum, prison officials should not interfere with a prisoner's exercise of fundamental rights of constitution unless the interference is reasonably related to a legitimate penal interest, nor may prison officials retaliate against a prisoner for exercising such rights. Second, it discusses the issue of extension of external communications and reinforcement of the ability of adaptation to a society. For example, the right of access, the right of use of mails, and telephone communication etc. Third, it deals also with reinforcement of the capacity for administration of internment, such as a legal basis of electronic surveillance system. Lastly, it examines the ways enhancing the efficiency and transparency of correction administration, such as mandatory institutionalization of the corrections committee for consultation, introduction of authority for the delivery of personal belongings, and legalization of interview system with the head of prison and so on.