Maturing from punishment to prevention

Wider protection

The expanding mission of juvenile prosecutors also reaches children who are victims or at risk of harm.

In 2018, the SPP issued its No 1 Procuratorial Recommendation to the Ministry of Education after cases exposed weaknesses in campus safety, staff management and education on preventing sexual abuse, prompting stronger protection mechanisms.

That same year, Hangzhou's Xiaoshan district piloted a mandatory reporting system requiring professionals to report suspected abuse — a mechanism codified into national law by 2021. Between 2020 and 2025, nearly 17,000 cases involving crimes against minors originated from mandatory reports, with 3,852 cases in 2025 alone. Additionally, authorities were urged to hold more than 400 people accountable for failing to report serious situations.

Beyond mandatory reporting, protection efforts have expanded directly into employment screening, physical school grounds and neighborhood commercial spaces.

In Chongqing, checks on more than 60,000 education employees in 2025 identified and removed over 30 individuals with criminal records involving violent or sexual harm.

To tackle bullying and safety risks at the source, around 44,000 prosecutors now serve as legal vice-principals across nearly 80,000 schools.

Meanwhile, in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, prosecutors helped clear 3,500 gambling-like cards and unsafe prizes from shops surrounding 31 schools, while public interest lawsuits successfully restricted minors' access to esports gaming hotels.

The digital world has opened the newest frontier. After a student stole blind boxes to resell on an online platform, Shanghai prosecutors looked beyond the theft itself. Finding that the trading platform lacked age controls, they used public interest litigation to compel real-name verification and transaction limits for minors.

The Putuo district procuratorate later worked with other authorities to issue guidance for internet companies on addiction prevention, personal information and other protections.

"Wherever children go, procuratorial protection should follow," said Xu Lichun, head of Putuo district's Dandelion juvenile prosecution team. She described the modern approach as asking "a few more questions" about the roots of a case and taking "a few more steps" to correct the social or family conditions behind it.

Forty years after the first juvenile prosecution group was formed in Shanghai, the work has moved far beyond deciding whether a young suspect should be arrested or prosecuted. Its focus now extends from courtrooms to homes, schools, businesses and online platforms, reflecting a broader effort to prevent harm and help young people return to a healthier path.

yangzekun@chinadaily.com.cn