Offenders flouting community service sent back to prison

Some 5,346 convicts who have been serving community service orders have been sent back to prison amid a crackdown on illegal non-custodial penalties since 2010, according to the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP).

Prosecutors supervised judicial officers sending the offenders back to prison mainly because they violated supervision management during the community correction, SPP President Cao Jianming told lawmakers during the bimonthly session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee.

In 2012, the top prosecuting department, together with the Supreme People's Court, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Justice jointly issued a notice to tighten management of offenders subject to community service orders and clarify legal procedures.

Cao said that since April the prosecuting department launched a campaign to target offenders escaping management during community correction. Figures provided by the SPP show that since 2010 prosecuting departments have supervised and corrected 84,470 cases involving the offenders' escaping community service.

He said the departments will pay regular visits to supervise judicial departments to implement management measures, while setting up an online platform to share information with judicial departments.

Non-custodial penalties such as community service and correction programs will usually be applied to minors, elderly, disabled people or those, who commit minor crimes, which is considered a major effort to protect human rights.

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