Criminal penalties under tighter watch

Chinese procuratorates issued 971,000 corrective recommendations related to the execution of criminal punishment from January 2021 to this September, helping ensure the consistent and proper implementation of national laws, according to a report from the top procuratorate.

While delivering the report on Sunday to the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress, the top legislature, Ying Yong, procurator-general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, described the execution of criminal punishment as the "last mile" of criminal justice — a critical step in realizing fairness and integrity in judicial outcomes.

Under Chinese law, supervision over the execution of criminal punishment is a key function of procuratorial authorities. It includes overseeing how criminal judgments and rulings are implemented, as well as monitoring the operations of prisons, detention centers and community correction agencies.

From 2021 to September 2025, procuratorial authorities received 25,000 complaints, reports and appeals from offenders. They conducted detailed reviews of suspected wrongful convictions, errors in sentence calculation and misidentified recidivism cases, leading to the correction of 3,312 erroneous judgments and decisions.

The report noted that procuratorial investigations have also played a key role in combating judicial corruption and safeguarding fairness. Between January 2021 and September 2025, authorities investigated 1,735 individuals for job-related offenses, including favoritism in commutation, parole or sentences served temporarily outside prison, abuse of power, dereliction of duty and the illegal release of detainees.

During the same period, procuratorial authorities carried out campaigns to improve supervision of noncustodial offenders and correct deficiencies in community correction management. Authorities ordered the reincarceration of 17,000 offenders who had seriously violated community supervision rules or no longer met the conditions for serving sentences outside prison, helping to prevent potential reoffending.

Prosecutors also conducted regular inspections of prisons and detention centers, identifying and addressing risks such as contraband smuggling and "cell boss" dominance. Investigations into crimes that disrupted prison order led to the prosecution of 1,811 violent offenders, 803 individuals for disturbing prison order and six for escape-related offenses.

Since 2021, the SPP — in coordination with the Supreme People's Court, Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of Justice — has addressed issues of delayed or refused prisoner admissions. These efforts ensured that 96,000 convicts sentenced to imprisonment were properly transferred to correctional facilities. Authorities also resolved cases involving the unlawful detention of inmates beyond legal limits.

Additionally, since 2022, they have issued 75,000 corrective opinions on inappropriate requests or decisions by public security and judicial administrative bodies, as well as on court rulings concerning commutation, parole and sentences served temporarily outside prison. They have also enhanced interagency cooperation to lawfully supervise the application of these measures in eligible cases.

The report also emphasized efforts to balance punishment with rehabilitation to help former inmates reintegrate into society.