Juvenile offenders are committing crimes at increasingly early ages, according to a Beijing First Intermediate People’s Court report published in June. While a white paper issued by State Council on ‘New progress on guaranteeing human rights in the judiciary’ showed juvenile crime decreased overall, says Caixin, the Beijing Court report shows female juvenile crime rates increased.
Scholars and professionals presented suggestions for reform during a conference at Beijing High Court on 22 September 2017. Rebellious behaviour is a natural product of puberty, says Li Meijin 李玫瑾 Chinese People’s Public Security University professor, but screening minors for more enduring personality issues is needed. More attention should be given to the victims of juvenile crime, argues Zhao Deyun 赵德云 Beijing Juvenile Court president.
The Civil Code should have a chapter dedicated to guardianship, laying down specific rules, argues Xia Yinlan 夏吟兰 China University of Political Science and Law professor. While the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child establishes basic principles, she says, each country must hammer out specific systems according to its situation.
Advocating for a juvenile judicial system with Chinese characteristics, Tong Lihua 佟丽华 Beijing Legal Aid Research Centre proposes centrally managed juvenile court and family court systems.
Unless new institutions are built, progress will be difficult, says Yao Maokun 颜茂昆 Supreme People’s Court (SPC) Research Office head. SPC should set up a specialised judicial organ for juvenile crime, argues Yao, which would advance juvenile judicial reform domestically and improve the image of China’s judiciary internationally.