An AI Sentencing System: Homicide Case Study in Taiwan

Sentencing is a demonstration of the state's penal authority; however, sentencing decisions by judges in Taiwan frequently face public criticism.With the implementation of the Citizen Judges Act in 2023, Taiwan's Judicial Yuan has proactively developed an AI-based sentencing information system to reduce discrepancies among professional judges' verdicts and to assist citizen judges in determining sentences.This study examines 198 homicide verdicts from district courts between 2016 and 2023, focusing on sentencing factors based on Article 57 of Taiwan's Criminal Code.It analyzes the most frequently considered factors by judges and the variations in sentencing severity that result from these considerations.In conclusion, this paper addresses potential challenges that may arise in the practical implementation of the sentencing information system and considers how judges might use it as a supplementary tool in sentencing, or whether it could fully guide sentencing decisions.