ABSTRACT
Ideas concerning treatment of young offenders in China can be traced back thousands of years. Although the contemporary juvenile criminal justice system in China has experience of only some 30 years, it has been given continued attention by scholars since the first juvenile tribunal was established in 1984. Past research has summarized China’s experience of the juvenile justice system and the key characteristics of the system. Criminal justice thinking like sympathizing with juvenile offenders has a long history in China, but it was not until November 1984 that the juvenile criminal justice system was established in China. Although the juvenile criminal justice system in China was established relatively late, the relevant provisions of laws reflecting thinking on key aspects can be traced back thousands of years in Chinese society. China’s juvenile delinquency and crime has become a serious social issue since the early 1980s, featuring violence, gangs, and young age groups.
