Judges weigh leniency and toughness in juvenile cases

China's top judge has emphasized the need for courts to step up efforts to prevent juvenile delinquency while continuing to mete out severe punishment for those who harm minors.

Zhang Jun, president and chief justice of the Supreme People's Court, underscored this priority at a national criminal adjudication conference on Thursday, calling for stronger judicial protection for vulnerable groups, including children, women, the elderly and the disabled.

He urged courts at all levels to adopt a balanced approach of leniency and severity in handling juvenile crimes, focusing more on the root causes of offenses and working with other authorities to form a coordinated mechanism to curb juvenile delinquency.

"For children who have deep-seated malicious intent, engage in egregious criminal behavior and pose serious social harm, particularly repeat offenders who present a significant danger, there will be no tolerance; punishment is imperative," Zhang said.

"For juveniles involved in minor offenses who are first-time or occasional offenders and demonstrate sincere remorse, it is essential to combine disciplinary measures with educational and rehabilitative efforts to guide them back onto the right path," he added.

In handling such cases, Zhang said judges should pay more attention to deeper issues, such as inadequate family care and supervision of juvenile defendants; shortcomings in school education and management; and the need for stronger regulatory oversight in certain venues, including hotels, clubs and internet cafes.

He also called on courts nationwide to enhance communication and collaboration with government departments, women's federations, youth leagues, schools, community committees and child protection organizations to jointly improve mechanisms for the protection and rehabilitation of minors.

Highlighting the importance of preventive measures, Zhang instructed Chinese courts to persist in the precise and resolute application of the death penalty for criminals who commit exceptionally serious and publicly condemned heinous acts against minors. He also stressed the need to strengthen the fight against emerging crimes in cyberspace and the economy.

Judicial guidelines will be refined to address new cyber challenges, such as those related to virtual assets, the livestreaming of obscene content and handling of electronic evidence. Efforts to crack down on cross-border online gambling operators and individuals participating in cybercrimes will also be intensified, Zhang said.

Data released by the Supreme People's Court showed that from 2020 to 2024, Chinese courts concluded 230,700 cases involving the rape and molestation of women and children, marking a 70.36 percent increase from the previous five-year period.

As a result of the country's ongoing fight against human trafficking, courts nationwide resolved 2,957 cases of trafficking in women and children from 2020 to 2024, a 16.75 percent decrease from the preceding five years, the data showed.

In the same period, nearly 90,000 cases related to illegal funding, money laundering and insider trading were concluded, a decrease of 15.51 percent from the previous five years.