Field trip to aid prisoners rehabilitation

By Uking Sun (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-07-27 17:28

Guards escort prisoners during a visit to a botanical garden in central China’s Henan province, July 11, 2009. [Henan Business Daily]

Beijing: Zhoukou Prision in central China's Henan province organized an outing for ten of its prisoners in order to help them begin to rehabilitate from prison life, the Beijing Times reported on Monday. The trip included a visit to a botanical garden, a museum, and an exhibition center, as well as talks with farmers and local officials.

Wang Hongjiang, a prisoner three years into a five year sentence, went on the trip.

"On the way, I find everything out of the prison is excellent, even when we are in a traffic jam. I feel great and I [wish I had] more eyes to enjoy the view," he said.

It was not immediately clear what crimes Wang and the other prisoners committed, but Liang Shuang, the deputy director of the prison, emphasized that they all had records of good behavior in prison.

“Not every prisoner can travel, and we have strict and fair criterions. Those selected must have performed well in the prison and they are also going to be released soon,” he said, noting that they also appointed ten guards to accompany the prisoners on the trip.

Mr. Shuang also explained that the purpose of the trip was to help prepare prisoners to eventually return to their normal lives. The trip is part of a broader shift from an emphasis on limitation of personal freedom and reeducation through labor to a focus on correctional education programs, he said.

The new initiative was especially important because “prisoners often develop psychological disorders if they are isolated from society for too long,” Xu Xinjun, the education section chief of the prison, said. “It is better to let them see parts of society while they are in prison, so they adjust better when they leave.”

Lu Wenben, another prisoner, said he felt free again when he could eat together with the guards and officials in the village. “I am inspired and I want to return to the society as early as possible,” he said.