New tough approach on gangs using minors

China has vowed to severely punish mafia-like organizations and criminal groups that use minors to commit crimes.

The Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the Supreme People’s Court and the ministries of public security and justice have jointly issued a set of guidelines to better protect the lawful rights and interests of minors, Wan Chun, an SPP official, said yesterday.

The number of juvenile offenders involved in organized crime has been rising year by year, though their proportion remains small, according to Wan.

Data show that the numbers of underage persons prosecuted nationwide for organizing, leading and participating in such crimes registered year-on-year increases of 410 percent and 29 percent in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

Underage persons were induced to join mafia-like organizations and criminal groups and were forced to turn themselves in by other members after crimes were committed.

Showing a tough stance toward criminals attempting to use the legal loophole, the guidelines require upholding the principle of harsher punishment throughout the entire case handling process from investigation to prosecution, court trial and ruling enforcement.

The guidelines stipulate that underworld bosses, key gangsters, crime planners, primary culprits and those directly making use of minors for organized crimes should be punished with lengthier terms.

The guidelines highlighted prudence in dealing with minors involved and a preventive approach to organized crimes involving underage offenders.

Despite the illegal acts they committed, underage offenders themselves are victims of gangs and criminal forces, Wan said.