NCJ Number
216687
Journal
Crime & Justice International Volume: 22 Issue: 94 Dated: September/October 2006 Pages: 4-13
Date Published
September 2006
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This article discusses developments in China since 1979 to systematically prevent juvenile crime and improve the juvenile justice system.
Abstract
Since 1979, the juvenile justice system in China has been relying on the knowledge of criminologists to improve the life chances of juveniles by protecting them from crime perpetration and victimization and by improving the juvenile justice system. The author explains that China has been experiencing a time of major social transition since the 1970s, which has driven up juvenile crimes in the country, particularly for larceny and violent crimes. Seven characteristics of juvenile crime in China are identified, including a sharp increase in female juvenile delinquency and the tendency of juvenile delinquents to also experience victimization. A brief discussion of juvenile risk factors before, during, and after crime perpetration and victimization are described before the author turns his attention to China’s “two-hands policy” for preventing and controlling juvenile crime. The overall crime control program involves a “comprehensive management” strategy that directs the leadership of different levels of government to cooperate with social agencies to implement political, economic, administrative, legal, cultural, and educational measures designed to control crime. The “comprehensive management” strategy incorporates six components: crackdown, prevention, education, management, construction, and reform. Each of these components is discussed in turn, followed by a description of China’s criminal and non-criminal juvenile justice system. The non-criminal juvenile justice system, which stresses the principals of education, reform, rescue, and redemption, has been promoted as a desirable alternative to the criminal juvenile justice system. Finally, China recognizes the need to promote the self-protection of juveniles in order to equip them with the skills necessary to overcome crime victimization before, during, and after victimization experiences. China intends to further develop the theoretical and empirical knowledge regarding the prevention of juvenile delinquency and the improvement of juvenile justice. Figures, notes