Wellcome

Punishment for crimes in Japan, capital punishment and rehabilitation process

The Japanese judicial system has undergone various changes throughout history. When the Japanese government surrendered in World War II, modifications were implemented to democratize justice. This occurred on November 3, 1946, and three ideals were sought: sovereignty, respect for human rights, and peace. Currently, Japanese culture is often recognized as an example of discipline and excellence, with the current judicial and prison system being a reflection of the lifestyle of the people. The main difference in the punishment of crimes in this country compared to ours is the application of the death penalty for some serious crimes. For example, for cases of rape, treason and murder, mainly where there are several victims. It is also important to note that the death penalty is applied in this country by hanging.

The death penalty in Japan has several characteristics. Those sentenced to death are isolated in a room, which they cannot leave under some exceptions. In addition, the prisoner is not informed of the date of his execution until the day before and can choose what his last meal will be. Finally, on the day of the execution, the person is transferred to the execution room, the relatives of the condemned can see how the process is carried out, and the device is activated by three people, who press a button.

The decision to sentence people to death is made according to the characteristics of the crime. The following aspects of the crime or crimes committed are evaluated. Degree of cruelty, motivation, how the crime was committed; especially how the victim was killed, outcome of the crime; especially the number of victims, the feelings of the victims' families, the impact of the crime on Japanese society, the age of the accused, criminal record, and degree of remorse shown.

Finally, it is worth noting that prisons in Japan operate in a very different way from those in Colombia. Instead of remaining detained in a cell and having a lot of free time, in Japan rehabilitation is focused on following a code of rules that includes making the bed, the hours at which you must get up, how to walk, how to speak and act. In addition, prisoners spend long hours of forced labor, have little time to watch television, and can be granted benefits for excellent behavior, which are focused on granting more free time. All this makes it possible for prisoners to have a higher rate of re-education and to be able to reintegrate into society more easily.

 

Bibliography

Wiesner, E. (1991). El sistema judicial japones. Taken of: https://repositorio.uniandes.edu.co/server/api/core/bitstreams/5a7f9d0a-08b4-4377-8a15-1998d9f452ac/content

Henrique, K. (S.F). La pena capital-Sobre la Pena de Muerte en Japón. Taken of: https://skdesu.com/es/pena-de-muerte-en-japon/

Génesis (S.F). La cárcel en Japón, trabajos «forzados» y normas estrictas. Taken of: https://www.japoreanas.com/japon/carcel-en-japon/