Photo:VCG

The Hebei Provincial People's Procuratorate issued a statement on Monday regarding three juvenile suspects in the killing of a junior high school student in Handan, North China's Hebei Province. The statement noted that China's top procuratorate has approved the prosecution of the three students, who surnamed Zhang, Li and Ma for intentionally killing Wang, stating that the three suspects should be held criminally responsible. 

The approval of prosecution mentioned in the statement is based on the Amendment XI of article 17 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China that came into effect on March 1, 2021.  It articulates that those between 12 and 14 can now be prosecuted if they commit the crimes of intentional homicide or intentional assault that causes death or, by "especially cruel means," causes serious injury or disability, and if the Supreme People's Procuratorate approves the prosecution.

This regulation lowers the age of criminal responsibility in our country from the previous 14 years old to 12 years old, on an individual and conditional basis, providing a pathway for handling serious violent crimes committed by young minors within the judicial system.

The case of the junior high school student's killing in Handan has sparked widespread discussion since it was disclosed. The severity of the details of the case has exceeded people's general impression of juvenile crime, and the impact on the public's psychology is immense. Hence we're hearing constant calls for "severe punishment of the perpetrators." 

Against the background of the continuous trend of juvenile criminals becoming even younger, the judgment of this case will have a symbolic significance. The adjustment of the age of criminal responsibility made by the Amendment XI to the Criminal Law is further known to the public through this typical case, which has a demonstrative significance in curbing juvenile crime. Especially when the occurrence of campus bullying incidents takes place from time to time, the murder of the junior high school student in Handan will also serve as a warning for family education and school education for juveniles.

The judicial authorities must make judicial judgments based on rigorous evidence and facts, and in accordance with legal provisions and legal procedures, because only by strictly adhering to the law can the authority of the law be maintained and fairness and justice be guaranteed. At the same time, handling cases according to law and responding to public demands are not contradictory. The statement released by the Hebei Provincial People's Procuratorate takes into account public concerns and provides a clear response after a legal process. We also believe that the judgment of this case will be rigorous and withstand the test of time, and the public should have full confidence in the professionalism of the relevant institutions.

At the same time, it is important to recognize that addressing juvenile crime, especially violent crime, is a complex social issue that requires a systematic approach. In addition to the serious punishment of individual cases, correcting inappropriate behavior of minors requires the efforts of families, schools and the entire society. Combining punishment and education can better prevent the recurrence of similar cases involving minors, especially preventing juvenile crime cases and protecting more underage victims.

The Handan case also serves as a wake-up call for parents. Not only should they protect their children from harm such as campus bullying, but they should also remind their children not to test the legal boundaries. This is to prevent them from going further down the wrong path due to temporary indulgence and eventually falling into the abyss of crime. It is important to consider whether teachers have provided students with the correct guidance and close attention in school and whether children have been exposed to bad information or have made friends with bad influences outside of school. All of these factors require our attention. 

Judicial justice is reflected in the handling and judgment of specific cases, and this case will be no exception. At the same time, further efforts should be made to prevent and control juvenile delinquency, to prevent tragedies from happening again, and to ensure that every minor can grow up healthily, without any loopholes in any aspect of society.