S OCIETY
Unlike programmes for former inmates in other countries which
are mostly run by NGOs, SHHC is under the management of the lo-
cal judicial agency, staffed by two or three police officers. Opening in
July 2008, SHHC focuses on offering legal education, psychological
counselling, social adaptation classes and career guidance for com-
munity termers.
Li told our reporter that at SHHC, hardness and softness are com-
bined in management and four words are emphasised: Equality, love,
respect and inclusion. “These beliefs are passed on to those serving
community rectification terms in every way possible to help them
regain confidence and reintegrate into society as soon as possible,” she
told our reporter.
For example, at SHHC, the staff never identify people receiving
community rectification as “inmates,” and instead, refer to them as
“trainees.” To begin with, the staff and the “trainees” ate at different
dining halls but the staff came to realise that many inmates were quite
sensitive about the issue, so they merged the two facilities.
“It doesn’t really matter what food the instructors are eating – what
is more important is to create an atmosphere in which the traineescould receive respect, not prejudice,” Miao Jingzheng, a police officer
temporarily working at SHHC, told ChinaReport.
According to Li Bo, each offender at SHHC has to take a series
of courses over their time there before they are completely free. The
preliminary course lasts four days to give a brief introduction of their
duties and the basic rules and requirements. Miao said that there is a
matriculation ceremony after the preliminary education and trainees
are required to share their own stories.
Miao said that he was impressed each time by the agony, loss,
shame and regrets on the faces of trainees when they were talking of
the misfortune they had brought to their families. The final course is
taught in conjunction with the police to help prevent reoffending and
better aid social integration.
In the current community rectification system, special courses are
provided for women, including classes on female self-defence and the
prevention of domestic violence. According to Li Bo, most women
serving a term in the community system had committed crimes of
negligence either for love or for their family and very few of them
were behind bars because of money. She added that some were tricked
into crime due to their lack of knowledge of the law.
As of the end of March 2017, SHHC had introduced 235 rounds
of education for a total of 4,804 people. In addition, SHHC had
partnered with 18 vocational training schools to provide the necessary
skills for inmates to reintegrate into society. Some classes are highly
sought after including cake-making, cooking, hair dressing, electri-
cian skills and electric welding. So far 73 of the 3,045 people who re-
ceived vocational education have passed the intermediate professional
qualification certificates.Challenges
After leaving SHHC, Wang Yong began to realise the difficulties
of living alone. He is a good driver and searched for a job as a driver
through small ads, the Internet and signs pasted to walls – but every
time he called, he was refused due to his age.
He also obtained a cooking certificate at SHHC and successfully
got a job at a restaurant. But he’s refused to take social insurance from
his employer, since he fears it would disqualify him from the low-rent
housing he currently lives in, and finding a place by himself will be a
big burden.
Four months after leaving SHHC, Wang got a driving job, where
he can earn 300 yuan (US$44) for a night shift and 200 to 300 yuanDistorting mirrors at the Sunshine Halfway House
Photo by zhen hongge