The Taitung Drug Abuser Treatment Center, Agency of Corrections, Ministry of Justice was invited to the press conference and tea party held by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) at the Library on the 2nd Floor of the MOJ Building on June 26. Minister of Justice Tsai Ching-Hsiang, Deputy Minister of Justice of Political Affairs Chen Ming-Tang, Deputy Minister of Justice of Administrative Affairs Chang Tou-Hui, and Chief Secretary Yang Hsiu-Lan were present. Minister Tsai and Director Huang of correctional services specifically expressed their gratitude to journalists for their participation in the event, and wished the public could give support and encouragement to correctional work and the inmates in correction.

The coffee planted by the center was on exhibit. The open prison inmates of the center also demonstrated their professional skills in brewing the Wuling coffee planted and baked by themselves. In addition, the Chrysanthemum tea and Black wulong tea produced by the center and the pastries prepared by the inmates of the Taipei Detention Center were also served at the tea party. This occasion allowed the inmates to show their skills amidst the good smell of coffee.
A short film about the Charity Café for social rehabilitation and practical training of the center was also played during the press conference to introduce the coffee shop run by the open prison inmates demonstrating their intent to return to a new life after correction. A report on the idea of the planning and operation of the coffee shop was also presented by the center. This coffee shop is the first of its kind in Taiwan, which is run with the participation of the inmates in the management. The content covers full-range skill training, corporate management, industry-university cooperative research project with National Taitung University, social charity, upgrade of the image of correctional facilities, social education, marketing of products produced by inmates, exhibition of local arts and cultures, promotion of the rule of law and results, and education of law enforcement and social order of nearby junior high schools and primary schools.

The idea of running a coffee shop is aimed at the possible experience of the inmates after serving their time and going back to a normal life in society and the setting of the operation is designed accordingly. The inmates act as the managers and function heads and actually take part in the operation management with routine meetings and presentation of operation reports. Under the industry-university cooperative research project with National Taitung University, advanced training of the management level is provided, including corporate management, career planning, social enterprise, and the education of law and social order. The training covers a full range from basic skills to an advanced level of management. Under this arrangement, the inmates can interact with society before returning to a normal life in society after serving their terms. This project also aims to help the inmates to develop a sense of social responsibility and social value, the extent to which the inmates can reinforce their confidence to return to society and prevent their repeated commission of crimes.

Further to the coffee shop, the park also served as an exhibition center for arts and culture created by the inmates, a broad view of the landscape of the lawn, a fountain featuring aboriginal trips, and a Jurassic amusement park for children. All the facilities of the park are designed and prepared by the inmates to show the creation of outdoor public art works by the inmates at the Changhua Prison and Taoyuan Prison.

Education and skill training for the inmates must be able to allow them to go back to a normal life in society, which is the purpose of correction. The center hopes the public can support the infant stage of the “Charity Café for Practicing a New Way of Life”. All are welcome to the Taitung Drug Abuser Treatment Center to receive the hearty and warm service and reception of the inmates, and to give them support and encouragement. We also hope that friends in the news media can help to promote the cause to allow for higher visibility of the policies of correctional services, bolster the positive value of correction, and assist inmates to return to a normal life in society.