析論我國兒童虐待犯罪之法務防制對策：以日本刑罰與法務省政策為例

Analyzing strategies of preventing child abuse crime under Taiwanese Ministry of Justice: Experiences from Japanese criminal law and its Ministry of Justice

在2019年發生數則兒童遭父母毆打的新聞事件後，引發民眾訴求以刑罰加重懲罰兒童虐待犯罪的輿論，進而在同年5月促成刑法第286條修法加重刑責等結果。然而，在難能僅藉由刑法第286條修法達到防制兒童虐待犯罪目的的前提下，身為刑事法主責機關，對第一線犯罪偵查機關亦有政策督導之責的法務部，究應如何因應？本文想探求，在兒童虐待議題的本質，應著重於事前預防的層面中，法務部除了提案加重刑責與加強偵查方向外，本於業務範圍，是否仍有其他對策得以在第一線協助預防兒童虐待犯罪之可能。為了呈現刑法第286條修法問題與執行成效爭議，本文爬梳相關修法過程、提案版本與判決資料，發現本罪在實務上使用機會偏低，且修法多在未解決構成要件認定爭議下，以加重刑責作為防制兒童虐待的方法，可能導致修法通過後，再度陷入執行成效不彰之惡性循環。至此，本文認為法務部應再為其他面向之政策研議，而就外國法制面向，日本相較他國，就兒童虐待犯罪界定了較清楚之定義、範圍，並有相應刑罰制度與法務省策略，故擬進一步論述以作為我國法務部政策參考。在彙整日本兒童虐待犯罪刑罰與法務省重點對策後，本文發現雖然在我國與日本之刑罰體系、政府機關組織安排間存有差異，然而日本法務省對於兒童虐待犯罪的防制方向，仍有諸多作法，足以提供作為我國法務部主管法規與業務範圍內，精進兒童虐待之犯罪預防層面。如能借此他山之石，或得使我國法務部走出以刑法第286條作為防制對策的爭議與侷限，進而在以犯罪預防為重的兒童虐待議題中，呈現重要之機關定位。 After news of children beaten by parents has appeared in 2019, public opinion and the newest amendment of punishing child abuse with severe sentences under Article 286 of criminal code has occurred. However, under the condition that the amendment of Article 286 could not prevent crimes of child abuse, what should we expect Taiwanese Ministry of Justice to do with duties of handling criminal law and crime investigation? Under the situation that child abuse should focus on prevention, this paper would like to explore other possibilities of strategies of preventing child abuse in the front line for Ministry of Justice apart from strengthening penalties and crime investigation. In order to present issues of the amendment of article 286 under criminal code, this paper compacted process of amendment, amendment bills and parts of judgments, finding that Article 286 not only had low citation under criminal justice but also the problem of defining “maltreatment” in previous and upcoming amendment haven't been solved. Since strengthening penalties of Article 286 without analyzing elements of crime may face the same problem mentioned above again, this paper considers that Ministry of Justice shall focus on other policies for preventing child abuse. To this point, because Japanese criminal law and policy from Ministry of Justice has much clear definition and range on child abuse than other countries, it may become an inspiration for relevant law and policy managed by Taiwanese Ministry of Justice. After organizing Japanese criminal law and policy of Ministry of Justice on issues of child abuse, this paper found that although there are differences between Taiwanese and Japanese criminal system and government, there are many strategies for preventing child abuse under Japanese Ministry of Justice that can lead the way for Taiwanese Ministry of Justice in order to prevent child abuse crime. It may prevent Taiwanese Ministry of Justice from issues and limitations of article 286 of criminal code if we take Japanese strategy as consideration, and may then present important situation under preventive view of child abuse.