 Although many human rights groups and legal scholars both within and without China called for the reform or total abolition of re @-@ education through labor , some groups have defended the system . A 1997 report in China 's Legal Daily hailed re @-@ education through labor as a means to " maintain social peace and prevent and reduce crime . " The Ministry of Public Security stated in 2005 that re @-@ education through labor helped maintain rule of law and was mainly used for rehabilitating lawbreakers . In 2007 , when new laws were drafted , the Ministry of Public Security was in favor of continuing the practice of not allowing judicial review before punishment was enforced . 
