BEIJING - A total of 386,000 minor law offenders have been sent to community-based rehabilitation programs in China, with a surge of 8,000 to 10,000 each month, China's justice minister said at a meeting of judicial officials that concluded Friday.

Community rehabilitation offices have been set up in 27 of China's 31 provincial-level regions, 71 percent of cities, and 61 percent of counties, according to Minister of Justice Wu Aiying.

According to Chinese law, minor law offenders who received sentences with reprieves, were released on parole, or had been stripped of political rights but allowed to serve jail terms outside prison, may serve their time in these programs.

During their non-custodial time, workers and volunteers with local community rehabilitation programs help convicts reintegrate into society.

"The rehabilitation of minor law offenders and arrangements for released criminals are vital obligations of judicial organs and will promote the innovation of social administration," Wu said.

Judicial organs at all levels have done a good job in educating convicts at community rehabilitation programs this year and only 0.2 percent of had returned to crime after completing these programs, she said.

Wu also urged judicial officials to make more efforts in strengthening the regulation and supervision of community rehabilitation programs and make favorable policies to help convicts return to civilian life.