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The government is planning to extend its pilot four-year community correction program to ease pressure on its overcrowded prisons, sources said. At the end of last year, some 1.5 million prisoners were serving time in about 600 correctional facilities, according to a source; and another told China Daily that many of the country's prisons are at maximum capacity. Judicial experts believe the community correction program, which began as an experiment four years ago, is a feasible means of reducing prison congestion, and a remarkable step in judicial reform. As of March 2007, 102,932 criminals had taken part in the out-of-jail program in 507 counties and districts in 24 provinces. One-third, or 37,779 prisoners, had finished their terms, with the remaining 65,153 still serving out their community-based penalty period. Related readings: Man gets death for slavery scandal8-man prison break foiledBeijing opens first counseling clinic f...

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