TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) announced at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday (Feb. 20) that the government will invest NT$7.6 billion from this year until 2028 to prevent juvenile delinquency. The Ministry of the Interior (MOI, 內政部) reported that in the past decade, most juveniles committing crimes were aged 15 to 18, with fraud cases being the most prevalent.
Cho emphasized the government's commitment to establishing a comprehensive counseling network and strengthening interdepartmental connections to create a safe environment for children and teenagers. According to the Executive Yuan (行政院) spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝), Cho suggested that 15- to 18-year-olds are easily influenced and led astray if they don't attend schools.
Lee added that ministries will plan tracking and counseling programs to aid disadvantaged youths in overcoming adverse situations under Cho's orders during the meeting. Moreover, Cho instructed Vice Premier Cheng Li-chun (鄭麗君), along with ministers Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) and Shih Che (史哲), to integrate national youth policies and establish a responsible agency that provides adequate measures.
Cho also noted the prevention program will adopt a cross-system, multi-agency, tiered framework, with regular reviews of key indicators and progress.
