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Prisoners practice swiping cards or one-time tickets to enter a subway, in a center in Daxing district of Beijing, on Feb 2015. [Photo/fawan.com]

Prisoners get prepared for outside world

A public institute is helping inmates see how life has changed outside the prison gates, so as to allow those who have served long-term sentence adjust better to modern society after their release.

The program lasts three months. It provides a micro view of the society: scenes are set up to mime subway stations, banks, supermarkets, etc. Prisoners practice swiping a card to enter a subway, and punching in a number in a machine before their service is answered in the bank. Classes that help them understand social phenomenon and current policies are also offered.

Zhang Min, who has been behind bars for 15 years, said the most difficult course for him was using computer. He wondered why he would need to get news from online when he was reading newspaper everyday. As Zhang is still an inmate and is not allowed to use mobile phones, prison officers worry that he would find it more difficult to use smartphones.

"More than 10 years ago, an ex-prisoner was astonished to hear that people can pay using a small card—a credit card--- in a supermarket. This bit of news, along with his divorce and unemployment, led to his suicide," said Zhu Guanghua, a worker at the institute.

Prisoners practice standing at the right spot while waiting for a bus in Daxing district of Beijing, on Feb 2014. [Photo/fawan.com]

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