Crime in China

Last updated

People's Republic of China
Crime rates* (2020)
Violent crimes
Homicide Unknown
Rape Unknown
Robbery Unknown
Property crimes
Burglary Unknown
Notes

*Number of reported crimes per 100,000 population.

In China crime occurs in various forms. The Chinese government does not release exact unified statistics on crime rates and the rate of criminal offending due to such information being considered politically and socially sensitive. Scarce official statistics released are the subject of much academic debate due to allegations of statistical fabrication, under-reporting and corruption. [1] [2] The illegal drug trade in China is a significant driver of violent crime, including murder.

Contents

According to the "Global Organized Crime Index" (2023), China is grappling with deep-seated criminal activities across diverse markets, while its resilience is limited by corruption and the centralized control of governance and information. [3]

History

A distinguishing feature of the Qin empire was its treatment of criminals: harsh but careful and fair. [4] Succeeding dynasties moderated the law in various ways. In Ming times, commercialization and urbanization meant that scams abounded. [5] Fences who disposed of stolen goods thrived. The People's Republic of China was established in 1949 and, from 1949 to 1956, underwent the process of transferring the means of production to common ownership. [6] During this time, the new government worked to decrease the influence of criminal gangs [7] and reduce the prevalence of narcotics [6] and gambling. [8] Efforts to crack down on criminal activity by the government led to a decrease in crime. [8]

Between 1949 and 1956, larceny, arson, rape, murder, and robbery were major nonpolitical offenses. [8] The majority of economic crimes were committed by business people who engaged in tax evasion, theft of public property, and bribery. [8]

Government officials also engaged in illegal economic activity, which included improperly taking public property and accepting bribes. [8] Between 1957 and 1965, rural areas experienced little reported crime. [8] Crime rates increased later. The year 1981 represented a peak in reported crime. [9] This may have been correlated to the economic reform in the late 1970s, which allowed some elements of a market economy and gave rise to an increase in economic activity. [9] Below is a comparison of reported cases of crime from 1977 to 1988 (excluding economic crimes): [10]

Year1977 [10] 1978 [10] 1979 [10] 1980 [10] 1981 [10] 1982 [10] 1983 [10] 1984 [10] 1985 [10] 1986 [10] 1987 [10] 1988 [10]
Total number of cases548,415535,698636,222757,104890,281748,476610,478514,369542,005547,115570,439827,706
Incidents of criminal case per 10,000 people5.85.66.67.78.97.46.05.05.25.25.47.5

Crime by youth increased rapidly in the 1980s. Crime by youths consisted 60.2% of total crime in 1983, 63.3% in 1984, 71.4% in 1985, 72.4% in 1986, and 74.3% in 1987. [10] The number of fleeing criminals increased over the years. [11] Economic crimes have increased in recent years. [11] From 1982 to 1988, the total number of economic crimes were 218,000. [11]

In 1989, a total of 76,758 cases of economic offenses were registered, which included bribery, smuggling, and tax evasion. [11] The changes in economic policy had an influence on the characteristics of criminality. [12] Since the second plenary session of the eleventh Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, crime has increased and diversified. [12]

Chinese police vehicle in Beijing. Police Beijing China Jing Hyundai.jpg
Chinese police vehicle in Beijing.

Crime by type

Murder

In 2011, the reported murder rate in China was 1.0 per 100,000 people, with 13,410 murders. The murder rate in 2018 was 0.5. [13] [14] The reported murder rates have been criticized for under-reporting unsolved murders due to police salaries being based on the rate of solved cases. [15] [16]

Corruption

Corruption exists in China. [17] [18] Between 1978 and 2003, an estimated $50 billion was smuggled out of the country by corrupt officials. [19]

Human trafficking

There are instances of human trafficking reported in China for various purposes. [20] The majority of trafficking in PRC is internal, and this domestic trafficking is the most significant human trafficking problem in the country. [20]

Domestic and transnational criminal organizations carry out sex trafficking in China. [21] [22] Women are lured through false promises of legitimate employment into commercial sexual exploitation in Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Japan. [20] Chinese men are smuggled to countries throughout the world for exploitative labor. [20] Women and children are trafficked into PRC from Mongolia, Burma, North Korea, Russia, and Vietnam for forced labor and sexual slavery. [20]

Drug trade

PRC is a major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden Triangle. [20] Growing domestic drug abuse is a significant problem in PRC. [20] Available estimates place the domestic spending on illegal drugs to be $17 billion. [23] Drug abuse has spread rapidly in China since its re-emergence as a national problem in the late 1980s. China's drug problem doesn't seem to be abating much. After some years of progress in the mid-2000s, the Chinese government is now acknowledging that the country has a long way to go in controlling. [24]

Domestic violence

China has a high rate of domestic violence. [25] In 2004, the All-China Women’s Federation compiled survey results to show that thirty percent of the women in China experienced domestic violence within their homes. [26]

In 2015, the Chinese government enacted the Anti-domestic Violence Law. [27] In China, there is an ongoing issue that often remains unnoticed: domestic violence. Approximately 40% of women in China face domestic violence, and an alarming 10% of homicides in the country stem from intimate partner violence. These distressing occurrences persist despite legal measures against domestic violence, primarily due to the deeply entrenched patriarchal norms ingrained within Chinese society. [28] [29]

Crime dynamics

Illegal guns

From January to July 1996, approximately 300,000 illegal small arms were seized from fourteen provinces of the country. [30]

Organised crime in mainland China

China has a significant level of organised criminal activity across various sectors. The country is both a source and destination for human trafficking, involving forced labor and sexual exploitation. Smuggling networks often exploit economic ambitions, with Chinese nationals being trafficked abroad under false pretenses. [3] China is a major player in the global synthetic drug market and an important transit hub for heroin and cocaine, though it has seen a decline in domestic heroin consumption. [3] China remains the world’s largest producer of counterfeit goods, which are facilitated by e-commerce platforms. Despite efforts to curb this, the trade remains pervasive. [3] Illegal logging, wildlife trafficking, and mining are critical issues, driven by demand for rare resources like timber and minerals. [3] Financial fraud, money laundering, and cybercrime are significant and growing concerns, with criminal organizations adopting sophisticated digital tools to evade detection. [3]

Criminal networks operate often in collaboration with foreign actors. While mafia-style groups are relatively small and non-violent in mainland China, corruption within state structures further enables organised crime. [3]

Despite a relatively strong law enforcement framework, China’s efforts to combat organised crime are undermined by corruption, lack of judicial independence, and human rights abuses. While the state has shown resolve in addressing crime, its anti-corruption campaigns are seen as politically motivated, and civil society remains restricted. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Organized crime</span> Groupings of highly centralized criminal enterprises

Organized crime is a category of transnational, national, or local group of centralized enterprises run to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally thought of as a form of illegal business, some criminal organizations, such as terrorist groups, rebel forces, and separatists, are politically motivated. Many criminal organizations rely on fear or terror to achieve their goals or aims as well as to maintain control within the organization and may adopt tactics commonly used by authoritarian regimes to maintain power. Some forms of organized crime simply exist to cater towards demand of illegal goods in a state or to facilitate trade of goods and services that may have been banned by a state. Sometimes, criminal organizations force people to do business with them, such as when a gang extorts protection money from shopkeepers. Street gangs may often be deemed organized crime groups or, under stricter definitions of organized crime, may become disciplined enough to be considered organized. A criminal organization can also be referred to as an outfit, a gang, crime family, mafia, mob, (crime) ring, or syndicate; the network, subculture, and community of criminals involved in organized crime may be referred to as the underworld or gangland. Sociologists sometimes specifically distinguish a "mafia" as a type of organized crime group that specializes in the supply of extra-legal protection and quasi-law enforcement. Academic studies of the original "Mafia", the Italian Mafia, as well as its American counterpart, generated an economic study of organized crime groups and exerted great influence on studies of the Russian mafia, the Chinese triads, the Hong Kong triads, and the Japanese yakuza.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illegal drug trade</span> Global black market

The illegal drug trade, drug trafficking, or narcotrafficking is a global black market dedicated to the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of prohibited drugs. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs through the use of drug prohibition laws. The think tank Global Financial Integrity's Transnational Crime and the Developing World report estimates the size of the global illicit drug market between US$426 and US$652 billion in 2014 alone. With a world GDP of US$78 trillion in the same year, the illegal drug trade may be estimated as nearly 1% of total global trade. Consumption of illegal drugs is widespread globally, and it remains very difficult for local authorities to reduce the rates of drug consumption.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime in Estonia</span>

Estonia is a relatively safe country, and the risk of being a victim of crime in Estonia is small by international standards. As in other post-Soviet states, crime has increased in the 1990s, but then it has gradually decreased in the 21st century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime in Mexico</span>

Crime is one of the most urgent concerns facing Mexico, as Mexican drug trafficking rings play a major role in the flow of cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and marijuana transiting between Latin America and the United States. Drug trafficking has led to corruption, which has had a deleterious effect on Mexico's Federal Representative Republic. Drug trafficking and organized crime have been a major source of violent crime. Drug cartels and gangs have also branched out to conduct alternative illegal activities for profit, including sex trafficking in Mexico. Some of the most increasingly violent states in Mexico in 2020 included Guanajuato, Zacatecas, Michoacán, Jalisco, and Querétaro. Some of the world's most violent cities are reportedly within the state of Guanajuato with extortion from criminal groups now being commonplace. The state of Zacatecas is said to be valuable to multiple organized crime groups for drug trafficking, specifically methamphetamine to the United States. As of 2021, Michoacán is experiencing increased instances of extortion and kidnapping due to a growing presence and escalation in the armed conflicts between CJNG and Cárteles Unidos on regions bordering the neighboring state of Jalisco. CJNG is also currently battling the Los Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel in the North Mexican region of Sonora.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transnational organized crime</span> Organized crime across national borders

Transnational organized crime (TOC) is organized crime coordinated across national borders, involving groups or markets of individuals working in more than one country to plan and execute illegal business ventures. In order to achieve their goals, these criminal groups use systematic violence and corruption. Common transnational organized crimes include conveying drugs, conveying arms, trafficking for sex, toxic waste disposal, materials theft and poaching.

Crime in India has been recorded since the British Raj, with comprehensive statistics now compiled annually by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), under the Ministry of Home Affairs (India).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime in Portugal</span>

Crime rates in Portugal are generally low, and most crimes are non-violent. Portugal's security and peace indicators compare favourably to those of other countries; According to the Institute for Economics and Peace's 2022 Global Peace Index report, Portugal ranks as the 6th most peaceful country in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime in Russia</span>

Crime in Russia refers to the multivalent issues of organized crime, extensive political and police corruption, and all aspects of criminality at play in Russia. Violent crime in Siberia is much more apparent than in Western Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime in Pakistan</span>

Crime in Pakistan is present in various forms, especially in the cities of Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Peshawar, Multan, Hyderabad, Islamabad and Quetta. Among other general crimes, it includes major crimes such as murder, rape, kidnapping, armed robbery, burglary, carjacking and corruption. For example, in the city of Lahore, 379 murders, 500 attempted murders, 2,650 abductions and 55 rapes have occurred in 2019. A direct relationship has been identified between the crime rate and unemployment rate in Pakistan. Elevated unemployment diminishes the attractiveness of legal endeavors, consequently raising the potential gains from illicit pursuits. As a result, the likelihood of an upsurge in illegal activities rises. Crime statistics of Pakistan shows that there is a rapid increase in the number of crime reported over time like other countries of the world, mainly due to high unemployment, rising poverty, increasing inflation and urbanization. Some other non-economic factors are also responsible for it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime and violence in Latin America</span>

Crime and violence affect the lives of millions of people in Latin America. Some consider social inequality to be a major contributing factor to levels of violence in Latin America, where the state fails to prevent crime and organized crime takes over State control in areas where the State is unable to assist the society such as in impoverished communities. In the years following the transitions from authoritarianism to democracy, crime and violence have become major problems in Latin America. The region experienced more than 2.5 million murders between 2000 and 2017. Several studies indicated the existence of an epidemic in the region; the Pan American Health Organization called violence in Latin America "the social pandemic of the 20th century." Apart from the direct human cost, the rise in crime and violence has imposed significant social costs and has made much more difficult the processes of economic and social development, democratic consolidation and regional integration in the Americas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime in Poland</span>

Crime in Poland refers to the incidence, deterrence, and handling of criminal activity in the Republic of Poland by Polish law enforcement agencies charged with ensuring public safety and maintaining order. Poland ranks favorably in terms of public safety, with one of the lowest homicide rates in Europe. Poland was ranked 25th in the 2022 Global Peace Index and scored 0.0 on the 2023 Global Terrorism Index.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime in Serbia</span>

Crime in Serbia includes murder, organised crime, corruption, piracy, false bomb threats and mass shootings among others. It is combated by the Serbian police and other government agencies.

Crime in Denmark is combated by the Danish Police and other agencies.

Namibia is located in sub-Saharan Africa, a region that has some of the highest crime rates in the world. Contributing factors are for instance poverty, a low level of development, and huge social and economic disadvantages. For example, according to government statistics, the unemployment rate reached 28.1% in 2014; in 2008, it was 51.2%.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime in South Korea</span>

South Korea has a relatively low crime rate compared to other industrialized countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime in the Philippines</span>

Crime is present in various forms in the Philippines, and remains a serious issue throughout the country. Illegal drug trade, human trafficking, arms trafficking, murder, corruption and domestic violence remain significant concerns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime in Cuba</span>

Though the Cuban government does not release official crime statistics, Cuba is considered one of the safer countries in Latin America. Gun crime is virtually nonexistent, drug trafficking has been largely curtailed, and there is below-average crisis intervention from police. Murder rates are also below those of most Latin American countries, with an intentional homicide rate of 5.00/100,000 inhabitants in 2016, lower than any other country in the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime in Costa Rica</span>

Costa Rica is a Central American nation that boasts of a noteworthy safety record on crime as compared to its neighbors in the region. It is one of few nations that have abolished their nation's armed forces. Having had a stable past, this country has been successful in developing its economy. However, since 2000 there has been a significant rise in criminal activity. Increase in domestic illegal activity, such as theft, homicide, and organised crime, has overwhelmed the local population. Sebastian Huhn reports that, "In a public opinion poll in 2011, 45 percent of Costa Rican respondents said that crime and insecurity were the country’s biggest social problems." As a consequence of the overall societal changes, domestic-driven crime has been increasing in the environment that extends beyond traditional settings. Illegal activity, including distribution of weapons has been most commonly witnessed during the sporting events by 'barras' or fan clubs. Crime in Costa Rica, thus, is not only due to domestic crime groups but also transnational criminal organisations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crime in Papua New Guinea</span>

The crime rate of Papua New Guinea is one of the highest in the world.

References

  1. ↑ "The puzzle of China's low crime rates". WORLD. Retrieved 2022-09-07.
  2. ↑ "Getting away with murder: lies, damned lies, and Chinese police statistics". www.lowyinstitute.org. Retrieved 2022-09-07.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 China (PDF) (Report). Global Organized Crime Index. 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  4. ↑ Charles Sanft, “Law and Communication in Qin and Western Han China,” Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient 53.5 (2010): 679-711.
  5. ↑ Zhang Yingyu, The Book of Swindles: Selections from a Late Ming Collection (New York: Columbia University Press, 2017)
  6. 1 2 Hans-Günther Heiland; Louise I. Shelley; Hisao Katō (1992). Crime and Control in Comparative Perspectives. Walter de Gruyter. p. 241. ISBN   3-11-012614-1.
  7. ↑ Wang, Peng (2013). "The increasing threat of Chinese organised crime: national, regional and international perspectives". The RUSI Journal. 158 (4): 6–18. doi:10.1080/03071847.2013.826492. S2CID   154487430.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hans-Günther Heiland; Louise I. Shelley; Hisao Katō (1992). Crime and Control in Comparative Perspectives. Walter de Gruyter. p. 242. ISBN   3-11-012614-1.
  9. 1 2 Borge Bakken (2007). Crime, Punishment, and Policing in China. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 64. ISBN   978-0-7425-3574-9.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Hans-Günther Heiland; Louise I. Shelley; Hisao Katō (1992). Crime and Control in Comparative Perspectives. Walter de Gruyter. p. 245. ISBN   3-11-012614-1.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Hans-Günther Heiland; Louise I. Shelley; Hisao Katō (1992). Crime and Control in Comparative Perspectives. Walter de Gruyter. p. 246. ISBN   3-11-012614-1.
  12. 1 2 Hans-Günther Heiland; Louise I. Shelley; Hisao Katō (1992). Crime and Control in Comparative Perspectives. Walter de Gruyter. p. 249. ISBN   3-11-012614-1.
  13. ↑ "China Number of homicides, 1990-2021". knoema.com. 2022-06-17. Retrieved 2022-08-27.
  14. ↑ "Global Study on Homicide" (PDF). United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. 2013. p. 127. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 November 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  15. ↑ June Cheng. The puzzle of China's low crime rates. Archived 2019-09-05 at the Wayback Machine 2018-10-25. Accessed 2019-09-05
  16. ↑ "Reality Check: How safe is it to live in China?". BBC News. 2019-01-13. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  17. ↑ Wang, Peng (2013). "The rise of the Red Mafia in China: a case study of organised crime and corruption in Chongqing". Trends in Organized Crime. 16 (1): 49–73. doi:10.1007/s12117-012-9179-8. S2CID   143858155.
  18. ↑ Wedeman, Andrew (2013). "The challenge of commercial bribery and organized crime in China". Journal of Contemporary China. 22 (79): 18–34. doi:10.1080/10670564.2012.716942. S2CID   154686059.
  19. ↑ "4,000 corrupt officials fled with US$50b". www.chinadaily.com.cn. China Daily. 18 August 2004. Archived from the original on 10 November 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "CIA World Factbook - China". CIA World Factbook . Retrieved 2008-02-02.
  21. ↑ "Vietnam's Human Trafficking Problem Is Too Big to Ignore". The Diplomat. November 8, 2019. Archived from the original on December 18, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  22. ↑ "2018 Trafficking in Persons Report: China". United States Department of State. Archived from the original on 2020-03-18. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
  23. ↑ "International Crime Threat Assessment". www.fas.org. Federation of American Scientists. December 2000. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  24. ↑ Kine, Phelim (2022-02-07). "The war on drugs puts a target on China". POLITICO. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  25. ↑ "Draft of anti-domestic violence is pushed to Chinese People's council". Archived from the original on 2015-07-11. Retrieved 2015-02-13.
  26. ↑ McCue, Margi Laird (2008). Domestic violence: a reference handbook. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. pp. 100–102.
  27. ↑ "China - Anti-domestic Violence Law of the People's Republic of China (Order No. 37 of the President of the PRC)". www.ilo.org. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  28. ↑ Gan, Nectar (2023-07-01). "Shocking cases of domestic violence are leading young Chinese to question marriage". CNN. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  29. ↑ Antonova, Natalia (2023-05-27). "Chinese Courts Want Abused Women to Shut Up". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  30. ↑ Susan Debra Blum; Lionel M. Jensen (2002). China Off Center: Mapping the Margins of the Middle Kingdom. University of Hawaii Press. p. 29. ISBN   0-8248-2577-2.
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