NEW TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A father whose son was the victim of a school stabbing spoke out against the abolition of the death penalty on Thursday (Sept. 26).
He called for juveniles involved in severe criminal cases to be tried under the Criminal Code (刑法) rather than the Juvenile Justice Act (少年事件處理法).
On Dec. 25, 2023, a male student surnamed Yang (楊) was stabbed to death during lunch break at school. This incident shocked society.
The victim's father, accompanied by New Taipei City Councilor Shih I-yu (石一佑) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨), made a statement at the city council.
Yang's father argued that severe criminal cases should be reverted to the Criminal Code to ensure juveniles understand the gravity of their actions and are held accountable. He emphasized that records of juvenile offenses should not be expunged.
He stated that if the records of the two perpetrators in this case are expunged after they serve their sentences, no one will know they were involved in a murder, posing a hidden danger to society.
Additionally, Mr. Yang suggested that parents bear corresponding legal responsibilities if their children under 18 commit crimes. He also recommended implementing an emergency alarm policy nationwide, installing rescue bells in classrooms, buzzers or cameras on each floor, and enhancing school floor management and teacher presence to handle emergencies.
Authorities indicted the involved juveniles for murder in mid-May and detained them at a juvenile detention house. The New Taipei District Prosecutors Office will announce the verdict on Sept. 30.
