Shanghai's Baoshan Prison unveiled its new Open Day policy Thursday. Now, any Chinese citizen over the age of 16 can visit the prison, located in the city's northern suburbs.

Open Day is being held on the last Thursday of every month. Because of the 40-visitor limit each month, advance registration is required.

Also on Thursday, the prison received its first group of individual visitors, mainly university students, local government officials and relatives of prisoners.

"We sincerely welcome ordinary individual visitors and we expect to have our prison administration supervised by society as a whole," said warden Chen Yaoxin. "Such an initiative will be very meaningful."

Originally, local prisons were only open to group visits by social organizations like schools or departments of government.

But now any qualified individual can go in and learn more about inmates' lives and the prison's daily operations.

Visitors will be allowed to take a look at most of the prison facilities, including inmates' dormitories, kitchens, dining rooms, workshops, visiting booths, supermarket and clinic.

"I think Baoshan Prison's initiative represents progress in human rights," said Zhang Gufeng, a Shanghai Prison Administration Bureau official.

In the coming years, other prisons in Shanghai may also open to the public, said Zhang.

Zhou Quanxiang, a visitor from Shanghai's Putuo District, said, "I heard some unconfirmed stories about inhumane prisons before, but what I see here now is much better than I expected."

Zhou, who is a social worker, added, "Anyway, the public can see for themselves now."

Shanghai's prisons have recently undertaken a series of humanitarian measures, including no longer forcing all inmates to have their hair cut identically. Instead, they are able to choose from three styles: shaved, flattop or short.

Prisoners are also allowed to wear watches and will have annual health check-ups, according to the bureau.

At Baoshan Prison, criminals now can call their relatives or close friends every week. In some cases, video telephones are provided. Guards also help prisoners send and receive e-mail.

Next to the prison supermarket, a special inmates' rights office was established by the Shanghai Consumers' Rights and Interests Protection Commission earlier this year.

Special visiting rooms, whose decorations are now warmer and friendlier, opened earlier this year for children visiting inmates. Convicts can talk face to face with their kids, and there are even some toys for the tykes.

Shanghai Baoshan Prison, established in 1998, now holds a population of about 2,000 and is regarded as the city's most modern and beautiful prison.

(China Daily March 26, 2004)