Almost three million lectures on mental health were provided to China's 1.5 million inmates, an official with the Ministry of Justice said.

Every prisoner receives a psychological evaluation when they first enter a correctional institute. They are also offered consultations based on their needs, the official said.

"They have become more active in rehabilitation," he said.

Inmates also receive various types of education last year, with 95.15 percent of prisoners receiving technical training, of which 65.82 percent received certificates.

More than 180,000 prisoners received higher education diplomas last year.

Chinese prisons have 3,785 libraries with more than eight million books, 1,587 multi-media classrooms, 1,257 amateur performance troupes and 63,695 sports teams by the end of last year, which enriched the institutionalized life of prisoners.

(Xinhua News Agency March 26, 2007)