ABSTRACT
This chapter explains how the Xinjiang prison system has looked like, with the bingtuan on the left, and the regular provincial-type laogai structure on the right, and presents overall schematic view of the system. However, Xinjiang is alone among provinces in that it has another large prison system which functions with considerable autonomy. The Autonomous Region has a large development corporation called the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps to which refer as the bingtuan. As is typical of public administration in China, within the bingtuan prison system there are two distinct lines of authority. One is managed by professional people concerned with such matters as production. The other is political and is concerned with managing incarceration and reform. The bingtuan prison system is sometimes able to raise money through commercial enterprises. In addition to the many laogai camps, the bingtuan still maintains its own prison, twenty-four jails, as well as its own Public Security Bureau, court system.
