CANING

The information in this section is written based on publicly available information, and personal anecdotes told to us.  

1. Caning in Singapore is applicable to males between the ages of 10 and 50, provided they are medically fit. Only the High Court can sentence a boy below the age of 16 (a juvenile) to caning. The maximum number of strokes that an adult can be subject to is 24, and 10 for a juvenile. In the case of an adult, the rattan may not be more than 1.27cm in diameter. A lighter rattan is used for a juvenile. However, the law does not specify the maximum dimensions for the lighter rattan to be used.  

2. Inmates who have been sentenced to caning are not told when they will be caned. This information is made known to them on the day that they will be caned. A medical check-up is done to ascertain whether the inmate is medically fit for caning. Based on information told to us, caning is scheduled after a few weeks or up to a month into your sentence. 

3. On the day of caning, the inmates to be caned are lined up outside the room where the caning takes place. Present in the room are the inmate who is being caned, the person carrying out the caning, a medical doctor, and the person who is next in line to be caned.  

4. Inmates who are sentenced to the highest number of strokes (i.e. 24 strokes) go first, followed by inmates who have been sentenced to a lesser number of strokes, in decreasing order. All strokes of a cane that an inmate is sentenced to, is meted out all at once. If the caning is stopped as the inmate if deemed medically unfit to carry on with the caning, the offender may be given up to 12 months of imprisonment in place of the unfinished strokes.  

5. The person who is carrying out the caning is only allowed to mete out 6 strokes at a time. In other words, if you are subject to 24 strokes, there will be 4 caners carrying out the caning. We have been informed that this is to preserve the strength of the strokes during the caning process.  

6. During caning, the inmate is bent over an A-shaped frame, with his hands and feet bound. An "apron" is wrapped around the lower back of the inmate, to protect his kidneys and spine from strokes that are off-target. The buttocks are exposed.  

7. Once the caning has been completed, the medical officer applies an antiseptic to the wounds. We understand that no further medical attention is given to the wounds unless it is medically necessary e.g. the wounds have become infected or if there is pus. We have been informed that it normally takes weeks for the wounds to heal. During this time, the inmate is unable to lie on his back or sit down. We have been informed that there are inmates who have been caned that still face kidney and urinary problems despite the protection that is given.  

8. An inmate may also be sentenced to caning if you have committed an aggravated offence while in prison. In this instance, an inmate cannot be sentenced to more than 12 strokes. The Commissioner of Prisons must approve this punishment before it is carried out.