TWO Luohu students who were given suspended prison sentences of one year in 2004 finished a community correction program last month, becoming the first juveniles to complete the program since Shenzhen launched it in July 2006.

Xiao Xian, a student who was 15 when he was found guilty of robbing a MP3 player from a primary school student three years ago, completed the program in Huangbei Community in Luohu District.

"I had to report to the Huangbei Judicial Office regularly rather than to the police since then. The difference is that I felt comfortable when receiving community corrections. Judicial officials always phoned me to talk about my life and studies, which made me feel warm," said Xiao.

The other student, Xiao Tian, robbed a mobile phone when he was in Grade Two of middle school. During the program, Xiao Tian had to report once a month to the judicial office.

Since last July, selected communities in Futian and Luohu launched the community correction program on a trial basis aimed at rehabilitating young criminals. "We arrange a series of commonweal activities for the criminals to join in and after they finish corrections and are set free, we are responsible to report to the community residents," said Zhong Hongzhou, head of the Huangbei Judicial Office.

The community correction program reduces the cost running prisons, Zhong said. At present, 12 Chinese cities are trying the community correction program.

Editor: Wing