147 prisoners have left prison on parole, to spend the Spring Festival with their families at home,
the Beijing Bureau of Prison Administration announced on
Tuesday.
The measure goes hand-in-hand with the policy of punishment with
leniency in this harmonized society, and will help the prisoners to
reshape their souls.
Another 410 prisoners received reduced sentences, as reward for
their penitent performance in prison.
At the same time, two prisoners suffered increased punishment
for committing violence, with one prisoner seeing his parole
terminated for deception.
Beijing allowed 1,182 such 'ticket-of-leave' men in 2006. Though
their number is rising, the rate of re-offending among such paroled
prisoners is low.
(CRI February 14, 2007)