Campus crimes soar 150%

There has been a 150 percent increase in the rate of violent crime on university campuses in just under two years, the Beijing No 1 Intermediate Court said.

A court press officer surnamed Guo said yesterday universities should provide regular psychological lectures or even counseling to students and offer classes on law in order to tackle the crime rate.

The report found there were 20 criminal cases involving intentional injury or homicide of students, and involving a total of 26 college students, since 2004.

There were four cases between 2004-06. This number grew to 10 between 2008 and now, an increase of 150 percent, Guo said.

The report did not provide figures for 2007.

The crimes were mostly motivated by life trifles, love affairs, or troubles caused by alcohol, the court said.

"Psychological immaturity, improper family education, shortcomings of university education and management, with bad social-cultural impact are included as the main causes leading to students' crimes," Guo said.

His comments follow the March 2009 stabbing of a teacher surnamed Xu at Peking University of Technology.

A 21-year-old student has been charged and will soon face trial on the charge of intentional injury with intent at Chaoyang district court.

It's alleged that after failing two final exams in 2007 and 2008, a student surnamed Li was advised to withdraw from university. He allegedly tried to appeal the decision to the administrative department.

It's further alleged that 3 days before the new term in March, Li stabbed Xu and then jumped from the building to commit suicide, however he only hurt his right arm.

Meanwhile, on Oct 28 last year, Fu Chengli, a 23-year-old student, fatally stabbed 43-year-old professor Cheng Chunming at the China University of Political Science and Law.

Fu suspected his girlfriend, a postgraduate student surnamed Chen, had broken up with him because she was in relationship with Cheng.

Fu was sentenced to death with a two-year probation at the Beijing No 1 Intermediate Court on Wednesday.

The court's report said that out of the 26 students involved in the crimes, 20 are from outside Beijing and 25 are male.

Guo said the main reason behind these crimes was psychological problems.

Li Qi, professor of higher education with Beijing Normal University, said universities should guide students to solve their emotional problems, encourage them to handle frustrations correctly and assume responsibility, and teach them to learn how to get on well with others.

(China Daily 10/28/2009 page25)