By Xinhua
Beijing : China’s justice ministry has recruited seven psychologists in the first step to build an experts bank providing advice on better management of prisons.
Zhang Enyou, a psychologist who is also vice president of the central institute for correctional police, was among the seven experts employed by the ministry, the Legal Daily reported Monday.
Chen Xunqiu, Vice Minister of Justice, said his ministry was continuing to look for law, penologists, education and medical experts for the experts bank.
The seven psychologists will be asked to set up standards on correctional work in prisons and help train warders, the newspaper said.
“The emphasis on the psychological side is part of our efforts to introduce personalised correctional work for different prisoners on the basis of their psychological analyses,” Chen said.
As per official figures, more than 1.8 million people have been in jails across China by 2005 – the second largest prisoner population after the US.
The justice minister has recently launched a development programme, under which professionals in law, penology, education, psychology, medical science, information, engineering and medicine are recruited as administrative staff for prisons and correctional facilities.