(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-03-19 07:30

We should not make public the past criminal records of juveniles in order to protect their future, says an article in Guangzhou Daily. The following is an excerpt:

Recently, Wang Cuifeng, a deputy to the NPC and deputy head of Anhui province's department of justice said we should offer judicial protection to juveniles by keeping their criminal records strictly in police stations and not in their personal files.

The criminal records of juveniles are usually entered in their personal files. As we know, previous criminal records are a necessary way to prevent people from committing crimes again and to maintain social order.

However, a criminal record is just like a label. It is stuck in a criminal's personal file. When that person commits another crime, it is used as evidence for heavier punishment. When such a person seeks a job, he or she is prohibited from working in some special industries. They face many hardships in seeking a decent job and are socially ostracized.

Studies show that once a juvenile commits a crime, he or she develops a sense of inferiority and a negative outlook on life. It severely affects their rehabilitation.

If criminal records are kept "secret", these youngsters may have a better outlook on life. In fact, it is better for police stations to hold the criminal files, than for them to be recorded in the personal dossiers of juveniles. It could affect their residential registration and employment.

According to reports, some courts have tried to keep the criminal records of juveniles secret, some have succeeded but others have failed due to a lack of legal support.

(China Daily 03/19/2008 page9)