2016年CRI Top court tightens rules on sentence commutation

 

The new regulation sets stricter than ever limits on the application of commutation of sentencing and parole for those charged with duty crimes, financial crimes and organized crime.

It specifically stipulates¹ that commutation and parole cannot be applied² in the cases of criminals sentenced to life imprisonment³ for taking bribes⁴.

It also rules an inmate⁵ will still serve at least 15 years in prison after his reprieved⁶ death sentence is commuted⁷.

Xia Daohu with China's top court says the regulation is expected to unify⁸ standards for granting commutations and parole and prevent related misconduct.

"In order to specifically define the circumstances in which commutation and parole can be applied and discourage any possible misconduct, the first thing the regulation does is clarifies that both commutation and parole are part of a system aimed at encouraging inmates⁹ to remorse¹⁰. An inmate can have his sentence commuted or be released on parole only if he outperforms others."

The regulation warns against the role of personal influence and social relationships in deciding whether an inmate qualifies for either commutation or parole.

Teng Wei also with the Supreme¹¹ Court said neither commutation nor parole applies to certain inmates.

"Qualification for commutation or parole mainly relies on how much inmate remorse. Some criminals have broad social networks and have caused huge economic losses to the nation and society. Anyone who refuses to reimburse¹² illegal earnings¹³ faithfully, or who uses illegal means in an attempt to gain privileges for commutation or parole will not be qualified¹⁴."

The new rules also underscore the role of parole in inmate rehabilitation¹⁵.

Different from commutation, parole is the provisional release of a prisoner who agrees to certain conditions prior to the completion of the maximum sentence period.

Xia Daohu of the Supreme People's Court says parole, though already widespread overseas, has yet to be widely applied in China and it is time to increase its use.

"The current judicial¹⁶ environment in China has created favorable conditions for expanding the implementation¹⁷ of parole policies. In some regions, community correction systems have been established, giving a significant role to communities in helping¹⁸ integrate prison inmates back into society. The new regulations give priority to parole over commutation if an inmate is qualified for both."

The new regulation will take effect on January 1st next year.

1 stipulates   

n.（尤指在协议或建议中）规定，约定，讲明（条件等）( stipulate的名词复数 )；规定，明确要求v.（尤指在协议或建议中）规定，约定，讲明（条件等）( stipulate的第三人称单数 )；规定，明确要求

参考例句：

• The trade contract stipulates for the settlement of balances in RMB. 贸易合同规定余额以人民币结算。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The contract stipulates for the use of seasoned timber. 合同上订明用干透的木料。 来自辞典例句

2 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

3 imprisonment   

n.关押，监禁，坐牢

参考例句：

• His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment.他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
• He was sentenced to one year's imprisonment for committing bigamy.他因为犯重婚罪被判入狱一年。

4 bribes   

n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• corrupt officials accepting bribes 接受贿赂的贪官污吏

5 inmate   

n.被收容者；(房屋等的)居住人；住院人

参考例句：

• I am an inmate of that hospital.我住在那家医院。
• The prisoner is his inmate.那个囚犯和他同住一起。

6 reprieved   

v.缓期执行（死刑）( reprieve的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• 70 jobs have been reprieved until next April. 有70个职位暂时保留到明年四月份。
• We were reprieved from the danger for a time. 我们暂免危险。 来自辞典例句

7 commuted   

通勤( commute的过去式和过去分词 )； 减（刑）； 代偿

参考例句：

• His sentence was commuted from death to life imprisonment. 他的判决由死刑减为无期徒刑。
• The death sentence may be commuted to life imprisonment. 死刑可能減为无期徒刑。

8 unify   

vt.使联合，统一；使相同，使一致

参考例句：

• How can we unify such scattered islands into a nation?我们怎么才能把如此分散的岛屿统一成一个国家呢？
• It is difficult to imagine how the North and South could ever agree on a formula to unify the divided peninsula.很难想象南北双方在统一半岛的方案上究竟怎样才能达成一致。

9 inmates   

n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• One of the inmates has escaped. 被收容的人中有一个逃跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The inmates were moved to an undisclosed location. 监狱里的囚犯被转移到一个秘密处所。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 remorse   

n.痛恨，悔恨，自责

参考例句：

• She had no remorse about what she had said.她对所说的话不后悔。
• He has shown no remorse for his actions.他对自己的行为没有任何悔恨之意。

11 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

12 reimburse   

v.补偿，付还

参考例句：

• We'll reimburse you for your travelling expenses.我们将付还你旅费。
• The funds are supposed to reimburse policyholders in the event of insurer failure.这项基金将在保险公司不能偿付的情况下对投保人进行赔付。

13 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

14 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

15 rehabilitation   

n.康复，悔过自新，修复，复兴，复职，复位

参考例句：

• He's booked himself into a rehabilitation clinic.他自己联系了一家康复诊所。
• No one can really make me rehabilitation of injuries.已经没有人可以真正令我的伤康复了。

16 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

17 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

18 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。