On June 23, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate released a 40-year development report on juvenile procuratorial work, clarifying the next key directions for juvenile judicial protection. According to CCTV News, the SPP emphasized adhering to a policy of combining leniency with severity, and for minors aged 12 to 14 who commit serious violent crimes such as intentional homicide or intentional injury causing death, if the conditions for approval of prosecution are met, the prosecution will be approved in accordance with the law. The SPP will also work with the Ministry of Public Security to quickly introduce relevant regulations to further clarify and standardize the conditions, procedures, and standards for approval of prosecution. At the same time, for minors whose crimes are minor, cause little social harm, especially first-time or occasional offenders, the policy of leniency in accordance with the law will be upheld.
At the prevention and governance level, the SPP proposed three work directions: First, adhere to the combination of punishment and prevention, promote the lawful implementation of correctional and specialized education, and integrate precise assistance throughout the entire case-handling process; second, uphold the treatment of both symptoms and root causes, provide family education guidance simultaneously while handling cases, and promote the establishment of a timely reporting and strict punishment mechanism for bullying acts; third, help build safe campuses, actively participate in the governance of campuses and their surrounding environments, and create a clear cyberspace. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of China’s juvenile procuratorial work.