China's 1st prison opens to public visit

Chinese citizens aged above 16 are now welcome to register with the Shanghai Baoshan Prison for a guided tour on the last Thursday of every month.

This is the first case for a Chinese prison to open itself to public. Starting from March, 120 people including civil servants, company employees, farmers, college students and teachers, editors, retired workers and relatives of some inmates have visited it.

Previously, all prison visits were limited to people from governmental institutions, state-owned enterprises and schools of higher learning for required legal education. No individuals were allowed to apply by themselves.

But this time, people may go to visit simply out of personal interest or curiosity. The prison won't charge or require any references. For the sake of security, a 40-person ceiling has been put on every visit.

Prison officer Hu Yanrong who is in charge of the monthly visits confirmed that more people have called to reserve, although transportation could be a problem given the jail is situated in the suburbs of Shanghai.

"Easing the former restriction will make legal education more effective and put our work under the regular public supervision," he said. Hu believed a prison adhering to justice and fairness should not hide itself from the public.

Asked why the visit day was set on Thursdays, Hu said no meetings were held on Thursdays, which would allow officers more time to meet visitors' needs. As for the age limitation, he said citizens aged over 16 normally have more chances to deal with legal issues than those younger and are more independent.

On May 27, the latest visit day, a rank of 40 people walked into the prison under the guide of a prison officer. The leg of the visit led to a supermarket filled with daily necessities such as milk, biscuits, instant noodles, toothbrush, toothpaste, even mini-radios. However, all glass containers have been changed into plastic boxes. As the tour guide explained, no metal or glass utensils were allowed inside in case they may be made into tools.

At the cashier, customers use debit cards to purchase. Their monthly stipends vary with their performance, with 150 yuan for the best (about 18 US dollars). In one corner stand book shelves stuffed with magazines, dictionaries and novels are for sale. If some books are running out, prison officers would help contact publishing houses and make wholesale purchase, said the guide.

Inside the 20-square-meter store, visitors saw seven salespersons who were all serving their sentences. A prisoner named Zhou, a former company employee, said his business

background helped him win the position when the store was established. Like his former colleagues, he works on shifts and has days off now.

At the clinic, Yang, a former hospital president sentenced for bribery and graft, is dressed in white, helping with injections or cardiographs. By his own admission, his jailed life in the very beginning was hard and tough.

"I was painful and fragile, then. But for the care of officers and my family, I wouldn't have survived," he said.

Next to the clinic is a psychotherapy room. Every other Wednesday, doctors of Baoshan District Mental Health Center will be invited to give prisoners personal treatment. At that time, as the guide introduced, the presence of officers was not required.

Passing the clinic, visitors were led into an office-like ward where six inmates were working on their own computers, translating English materials or using Flash to make education software. On a board in the doorway, some prisoners' names are highlighted in red

because their birthdays come all in May.

In the dining rooms, a striking banner reads: "Seize today, hope follows tomorrow". Below it is a menu board where a dozen dishes are available. According to the guide, an independent dining committee has been set up by inmates with a duty to give chefs regular feedback and suggestions on the quality and flavor of food.

For first-time visitor Wang Xiaohua of Baoshan District, the real-life prison was much better than those depicted in TVs and films. "I never thought they could be so respected and well treated," he said.

However, what was really beyond his expectation was a speech by a prisoner named Zhan in a small auditorium. Sent to the jail in 2001 for embezzlement, Zhan had a nine-year term to serve in jail.

The former government officer sincerely repented of his disgraceful history and urged visitors to acquire legal knowledge.

"It's not easy to think about my past. Whenever I talked it out, I felt like exposing a scar," 60-year-old Zhan said with tears in eyes.

Asked whether he was forced to do it, Zhan said it was his own choice.

"If I could sound an alarm and help people avoid the same mistake I've made, that would be my share of contributions," he said.

As a reward for his outstanding performance, the prison has reduced his term of penalty.