In China's technology push, even prisoners innovate

Forget license plates. Prisoners in China are reducing their sentences by doing a different kind of labour. Inmates have been reducing their sentences by inventing new technologies, according to a Shanghai Daily report.

A car thief who invented security devices for cars has reduced his term at the Tilanqiao Prison, according to the report. More than 132 prison inventions have won prizes at science and technology competitions, prison guard Xie Xiaoming told a Shanghai Daily reporter.

The article, published this week, cited other professionals, including an architect who expressed gratitude for the opportunity to create new technologies and reduce sentences for crimes like fraud and bribery, which in China can lead to life sentences.

China has recently gained global attention as its government pushes for competition and leadership in technology. In December, an international study reported that China overtook the United States for the title of the world's biggest supplier of information and communications technology products.

wow, if i go to prisons in China, i better can be smart.

Oh well i guess you learn something new everyday.

Hehehe...that means if I get arrested in china, Id be out of jail in a day, coz im so smart. :nana:

JK. Maybe it would be easier to bribe guards

Why does this sound like something we'll be seeing happening soon in the US. It would be a great tool in rehabilitating non-violent offenders.

Why does this sound like something we'll be seeing happening soon in the US. It would be a great tool in rehabilitating non-violent offenders.

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LOL! that is a good idea! since so many kid are not doing their job in the school *cough cough "american kids" cough cough*

AssassinsMace said:

Why does this sound like something we'll be seeing happening soon in the US. It would be a great tool in rehabilitating non-violent offenders.

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Prison labor was in vogue in the US back in 1990's. About 30 states legalized use of prison labor for private companies. In California prisoners booked TWA flights, in Washington Microsoft used prison labor to ship software packages, Toys R US use prison labor to clean shelves, and Honda factory in Ohio was paying $2/hr for prison labor, doing the same jobs that union workers were paid $20/hr to do.

This eventually created a huge backlash from union labor and many prison labor contracts weren't renewed, or done real quietly these days.

Are you guys reading the article right? Prison labor has been around since the first prison. What's different here is applying what these prisoners know to prevent it from happening out in the public sector. Nothing about plain manual labor.

this is much better than just plain manual labor.. manual labor anyone can do it, and china have plenty of people that's willing to work for minimum pay. but inventing new technology is not something everyone can do. and using criminals to invent new technology to work against their skills is something that they are the best at. normal inventors just can't think in the same logic pattern as these guys. have anyone seen the movie "catch me if you can" ?? it gives the best example. the character played by leoardo decaprio plays the fraud guy that eventaully became someone that designs cheques that's a lot hard to fraud. so i think this is a great idea, and they should definitely promote this more.. in the end it also makes the prisoners feel better since they are contributing to society instead of making trouble for it, so they can become better citizens and less chance of going back to prison after they get out.

PiSigma said:

this is much better than just plain manual labor.. manual labor anyone can do it, and china have plenty of people that's willing to work for minimum pay. but inventing new technology is not something everyone can do. and using criminals to invent new technology to work against their skills is something that they are the best at. normal inventors just can't think in the same logic pattern as these guys. have anyone seen the movie "catch me if you can" ?? it gives the best example. the character played by leoardo decaprio plays the fraud guy that eventaully became someone that designs cheques that's a lot hard to fraud. so i think this is a great idea, and they should definitely promote this more.. in the end it also makes the prisoners feel better since they are contributing to society instead of making trouble for it, so they can become better citizens and less chance of going back to prison after they get out.

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Excellent post, pisigma.

The Chinese government needs to quickly expand this prisoners' innovation program nationwide.

They are a huge untapped resource. make them feel as if they belong to something great.

:china: