Yesterday [Tuesday], I listened to Harry Wu’s presentation about the conditions within labor camps in China. I would like make two different points.

First, Harry Wu seems confused about human rights problems within Chinese prisons in the past and current China.

In my opinion, prior to 1979 (Harry Wu was released from Chinese prison in that year), especially during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), Chinese prisons had such problems because “class struggle” was predominant in Chinese history.

However, many changes have occurred since 1979.

Most prisons pay more attention to humane treatment of their inmates — because there is an increase in younger people being sent to prison, and many prisoners are stealers, robbers, rapists, assaulters and so on.

China, therefore, pays more attention to reforming them through education, persuasion, remedy and prison-working.

During the 1980s and 1990s, American justice delegations and scholars visited some Chinese prisons, and they gave the Chinese prisons good evaluations.

I think Hurry Wu mainly talked about the past history of the Chinese prisons.

He wants people to believe that current Chinese prisons are what the Chinese prisons were like about two decades ago. It is not true.

I believe that reforming prisoners through labor methods in prisons is good for the society and inmates themselves.

Currently, more than 90 percent of the Chinese prisoners have to work 40 hours a week.

Inmates work in prison factories or farms, and earnings from such factories and farms are used to help pay for the expenses of citizens and society. China has a safety system for the working environment and workers.

The purpose of the labor is to instill work habits and job skills that can be used by the inmates upon being released.

It is also considered very helpful for keeping prisons in order because idleness of prisoners will potentially lead to more problems.

Presently, approximately 70 percent of Americans support that American inmates have to work.

Last year, Iowa passed a bill that Iowa inmates have to work 40 hours a week.

Hurry Wu didn’t clarify distinctions between human rights issues and the current prison labor system in China.

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Liu, Qiang

Graduate student

Sociology