Web Exclusive

More young migrant workers turning to crime

By Zheng Jinran (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-12-23 11:17

The crime rate of young migrant workers is on the rise in Shunyi district of Beijing. Some of them may end up staying behind bars instead of pursuing their dream due to insufficient skills for a better job, depression from the harsh reality and lack of guidance from their parents, Beijing Morning Post reported on Thursday.

Related readings:  Lessons in educating migrants  China moves to ensure migrants receive wages on time  Free therapy offered to migrant workers  Honor cultural needs of migrant workers

The latest statistics from Shunyi Court said that young migrant workers accounted for 39 percent of the total crime there in the first 10 months of 2010, an increase of 60.7 percent from the previous year.

Cao Yong, a judge in Shunyi Court, said, "Different from their parents, young migrant workers are desperate to become members in their working cities and show little connection to their villages. But they get frustrated because insufficient working skills and restriction of hukou (permanent residency permit) make it difficult for them to receive social welfare like other local residents. That frustration may drive them to crimes."

In addition, most of them are in their 20s, still in need of supervision and guidance, but working alone in cities can make them feel lonely and deal with frustration inappropriately.

In research related to young migrant workers' crime, the court offers several suggestions to help them, for example, offer free work skills training, improve the social welfare system and provide more psychological services.