SPP report highlights progress in refining punishment, rehab and crime prevention

China has developed a comprehensive juvenile procuratorial system over the past 40 years, integrating punishment, rehabilitation, victim support and crime prevention, a senior prosecutor said on Tuesday.

Addressing a news conference to mark the 40th anniversary of juvenile procuratorial work, Shi Weizhong, deputy prosecutor-general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, said many protection mechanisms pioneered by procuratorates have been incorporated into law.

They include social investigations, family meetings, the presence of appropriate adults during proceedings, the sealing of juvenile criminal records, mandatory reporting of suspected abuse and background checks for jobs involving close contact with minors.

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The SPP also released a report reviewing the development of juvenile procuratorial work over the past four decades.

Since 2018, procuratorates have arranged 96,000 meetings between juvenile suspects and their families, ensured the presence of appropriate adults on 95,000 occasions to support minors and oversee proceedings, and helped 347,000 minors obtain legal aid.

A mandatory reporting system introduced in May 2020, requiring professionals working with children to promptly report suspected abuse, has helped uncover 17,000 cases. More than 1,900 people have been held accountable for failing to report cases that resulted in serious consequences.

Shi said prosecutors adopt differentiated approaches based on the nature and severity of offenses. Minors who commit grave crimes with strong malicious intent, brutal methods or serious consequences are punished in accordance with the law. Those involved in less serious offenses, particularly first-time or occasional offenders, may receive lenient treatment focused on education and rehabilitation.

Since 2018, procuratorates have approved the arrests of 234,000 juvenile suspects and prosecuted 349,000. Meanwhile, 144,000 minors received conditional non-prosecution decisions along with supervision and tailored assistance; more than 95 percent did not reoffend. Over the past five years, more than 7,100 juvenile offenders entered universities after receiving procuratorial assistance.

Authorities have also maintained a zero-tolerance stance toward crimes against minors, including sexual assault and violent abuse. Since 2018, procuratorates have approved the arrests of 429,000 suspects and prosecuted 531,000 in such cases.

Judicial and law enforcement authorities have jointly issued judicial interpretations and regulatory documents to standardize the handling of sexual offenses against minors.

Through guiding cases, the SPP has established that online sexual abuse of children without physical contact can constitute a crime. Such offenses include coercing children through online chats to produce and transmit nude images. Since 2019, prosecutors have charged 18,000 people with sexually abusing minors remotely via the internet.

Measures have also been introduced to protect victims from secondary harm. More than 2,600 one-stop case-handling facilities now combine interviews, evidence collection, physical examinations and psychological counseling.

When both offender and victim are minors, procuratorates adopt a dual-protection approach that combines mediation, judicial assistance and psychological support, according to the report.

In addition, tiered intervention and correction mechanisms have been developed for minors involved in misconduct or crime, while oversight of specialized education and correctional programs has been strengthened.

Measures have also been introduced to help minors involved in cases return to school, prevent sexual abuse on campuses, and strengthen oversight of schools, entertainment venues, hotels, tattoo businesses and other areas that may pose risks to minors.

Shi said China's juvenile procuratorial system has developed within the country's legal and institutional framework rather than by simply adopting overseas models.

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The SPP has established regular cooperation with UNICEF and Save the Children and maintained exchanges with more than 20 countries, including the United Kingdom, Russia and South Africa.

Song Yinghui, a member of the SPP's expert advisory committee and a professor at Beijing Normal University, called for further development of public interest litigation in areas affecting minors, including online gaming, campus safety, food and medicine.

Song also suggested closer coordination among criminal, civil, administrative and public interest litigation departments. Improved mechanisms for transferring leads and jointly handling cases could expand case sources and enable faster responses to complex cases and emerging risks, he said.

Contact the writers at yangzekun@chinadaily.com.cn