Spare a thought for juvenile victims too

On Saturday, the police in Langxi county, Anhui province, said they had arrested a 13-year-old boy who was suspected of having killed a 10-year-old girl on April 14. The suspect admitted to committing the crime and even led the police to the girl's corpse.

The suspect, the girl's cousin, is now in police custody and a judicial procedure is on. However, one can almost rest assured he will not receive any criminal punishment－even if found guilty afterward－because he is 13, below the minimum age for criminal culpability. In fact, he might not even need to go to court; the police will rehabilitate him.

It is a global practice to spare juveniles of criminal culpability. It's true that juveniles should be given more education than penalty for committing a crime. And at the age of 13, the suspect deserves a second chance.

But one should also spare a thought for the 10-year-old girl. Is it fair for her to die so young and for the one who killed her to go unpunished? On Oct 20, 2019, another 13-year-old had killed a 10-year-old girl in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning province. The local police and procuratorate did not send the accused to court. Instead, the police "sheltered and rehabilitated" him.

There is enough information flow happening around us for someone committing a serious crime and getting a light punishment to encourage others with similar intentions. Many law experts believe juvenile crime is a big problem now.

At least two aspects need to be considered to curb it. First, it is advisable to adjust the lower age limit for criminal culpability. Second, when the victim too is a juvenile, the offender should be subjected to heavier punishment even if he/she is under 18.

After all, the law intends to protect all juveniles, and not just those committing crimes. Those on the receiving end require even more protection.

- ZHANG ZHOUXIANG, CHINA DAILY