Inmates at Xiqing Prison in Tianjin participate in a character identification competition. (Photo provided to China Daily)
Change of focus
In previous years, the penal system mainly focused on the security of the nation's prisons and used a range of safety and technical measures to prevent convicts from escaping, Wang said.
He noted that there have been very few prison breaks in recent years, and Ministry of Justice data show that since 2013, there have been fewer than six prison breaks a year, compared with hundreds in the 1980s and '90s.
"As a result, we are attaching great importance to classifying convicts based on their crimes, and using targeted educational measures to transform them," he said.
Li Guifang, a member of the All China Lawyers Association, said all prisoners are different; some may have been caught while committing their first crime while others may be serial offenders. Moreover, all convicts have differing degrees of subjective malignancy, so they pose different threats to society.
"Effective educational measures will encourage inmates to actively confess to their crimes and become aware of the social harm and serious consequences of their offenses. That will help them cooperate to master new skills and prepare for a new life outside prison," he said.
Li Wenzheng, who became a prison guard in 1983, said improvements in security mean penal institutes can focus on reforming prisoners rather than simply locking them up.
"Technological developments and modern security systems mean prison breaks are almost impossible nowadays. That means we can devote more energy to educating the prisoners, helping them confess their crimes sincerely and transforming themselves into new people," the 55-year-old said.
"In today's prison system, guards are required to behave like parents and teachers, providing prisoners with care and attention."
Wang, from the ministry, said that in future prisons will focus on training warders, and there are plans to enroll more graduates, especially psychology and education majors, who will help educate the inmates and help them become law-abiding citizens.
