Local law executors' big fish are all too often small fry

THE SUPREME PEOPLE'S COURT, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Justice jointly issued their opinions on the handling of organized crime cases on Tuesday. China Daily reporter Li Yang comments:

In the document, the departments clarify what constitutes an organized crime, and propose more clear-cut law enforcement standards and judicial standards so that all sentences appropriately match the culprits' crimes.

The crackdown on organized crimes and gangs initiated by the central authority has been on for more than a year. It is necessary for the judicial and public security authorities to issue the document to resolve some pressing problems that have appeared in the campaign, among which the most prominent being that some grassroots public security and judicial authorities have broadened the scope of organized crimes at will, treating those who have actually committed some common and even minor offenses, as gang members or even big fish behind organized crimes.