The Justice Ministry on Friday released a plan aimed at preventing prison officers from abusing inmates, with measures including the use of teams comprising both officers and experts, rather than individual officers, to handle inmates, in the wake of cases of abuse at Nagoya Prison.
“I, myself, believe that it is necessary to change the organizational mindset specific to (officials) at criminal facilities,” Justice Minister Ken Saito said during a news conference later in the day.
Saito touched on some prison officers’ lack of awareness of inmates’ human rights, for example by using derogatory terms against them, and their overly strict mindset on preserving order. The minister held an online call with the chiefs of prisons nationwide to explain the measures.