China's criminal justice reforms against youth violence: punishment with leniency?

Abstract

ABSTRACT The issue of addressing youth violence through criminal justice reform has been extensively studied in the Western world, particularly the United States. However, research investigating similar efforts in China has been relatively limited, with few normative studies being the exception. This paper presents China's approach to tackling youth violence by examining the nation's criminal justice reform initiatives in recent years. Specifically, this study examines China's implementation of a lower age of criminal responsibility and the Supreme People's Procuratorate's system for approving the prosecution of juvenile offenders. These measures do not necessarily contravene the best interests of children. Rather, they are implemented to address public concerns and to prevent unjust outcomes in individual cases. Furthermore, China's criminal justice system continues to emphasize the importance of forgiveness and care for young offenders. Thus, it is crucial to approach the issue of youth violence from a multidisciplinary perspective, incorporating considerations of pedagogy, criminology, and psychology, in addition to legal measures.