For many years, China’s re-education through labor system, or laojiao system, was often criticized due to lacking a legal foundation.
多年以来，由于缺少法律依据，中国的劳教制度饱受批评。

Confinement under the laojiao system doesn’t need to go through legal procedures or a trial, which is both illegal and irrational.
按照劳教制度，无需经过法律程序或审判就能对人实行关押，这一做法既不合法，也不合理。