NCJ Number
214712
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 34 Issue: 2 Dated: March/April 2006 Pages: 119-130
Date Published
March 2006
Length
12 pages
Annotation
In order to expand research on crime patterns during the modernization process in non-Western settings, this study examined the rate of change for property and violent crimes in China over time (1978 to 2002).
Abstract
The findings show that property crimes increased at a faster rate than violent crimes during China's modernization process over the study period. During the period examined, China underwent a transition from a socialist command economy to a market economy. Under the socialist command economy, the pursuit of economic self-interest was discouraged in favor of an egalitarianism that encouraged and even required individuals to work for the economic and social interests of society as a whole. The transition toward a market economy involved a fundamental institutional and ideological change. It not only eliminated the previous institutionalized suppression of economic self-interest for individuals, but strongly encouraged and stimulated it. Getting rich by any means became the prevalent national value. It is reasonable to draw a correlation between such a priority and the increase in property crime in the course of the transition into a market economy. Compared with violent crimes, property crimes are instruments for profit, thus explaining the faster rate of growth in property crime. Data for this study were obtained from compiled mandated reports of local police departments, which is the only available source of crime data. Limitations of these data that lead to the underreporting of crime are discussed. 3 tables, 2 charts, and 64 references