BEIJING â€"  A judicial official says China recognizes its system of re-educating people through manual labor is problematic and the government is working on reforms.

Others have called for the abolishment of labor camps, which allow police to detain people for years without trial.

Jiang Wei, head of the central government's committee focused on judicial reform, spoke at a news conference Tuesday about the new government plan. He said Chinese society had "reached a consensus on the need to reform the re-education through labor system."

He told reporters that the relevant government departments are preparing a specific plan on overhauling the system.