Shanghai to lead reform of laojiao

Shanghai is ready to abolish the re-education through labor system, or laojiao, and has dissolved local centers and released all those in detention, China News Service reported Tuesday.

Local authorities are looking for new roles for the re-education through labor centers and staff members working there.

The end of the laojiao system, which is seen as a major effort to protect human rights, was approved at the Third Plenary Session of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

Shanghai authorities said that minor violations and crimes will be dealt with through detention centers, prisons or community-based correction facilities in the future.

The judicial administration department in Shanghai will further increase the number of community social workers, asking them to join with local police, prosecutors' offices and courts to help with rectification.