Four inmates of the Shanghai Women's Prison were allowed to leave the jail on Monday to spend the Spring Festival with their families.

The four prisoners are the third batch of inmates to take part in the prison's "Part-time Imprisonment Program," which allows them to live at home from Monday to Friday and serve their sentences over the weekend, prison officials said.

But this time, the four inmates can spend the entire seven-day Spring Festival holiday at home. After the holiday, they will need to work to stay in the program.

"The new trial program is a humanitarian method to show care for the inmates," said Zhang Gufeng, an official with the Shanghai Prison Management Bureau.

Prisoners who behave well during their time behind bars and can prove their families are suffering due to their incarceration - including financial problems or the lack of someone to take care of children or elderly relatives - will be considered as possible candidates for the program.

But inmates can't apply to join the program themselves, only the prison officials are allowed to decide who can serve their sentences part-time, Zhang said.

Prison officials, working with neighborhood committees around the city, will also arrange jobs for the part-time inmates, generally as shop assistants or employees at local supermarkets.

Their co-workers won't be told of the inmates crimes and circumstances, and the criminals will be paid and treated the same as other employees, officials said.

"I'm really quite excited to be given the opportunity to get back into society," said one 37-year-old inmate released this week.

The woman was originally given a life sentence for a murder she committed 10 years ago, but her good behavior has seen her sentence reduced four times over the last decade.

"I will cherish the opportunity to work hard in my new position," she said.

The inmates spend their weekends in jail for one year and then prison officials decide what steps to take next depending on their performance, Zhang said.

All of the prisoners released through the program previously have been granted full parole, prison officials said.
 
(China Daily  January 21, 2004)