Legal justice overrides sympathy in abuse case

PHOTOS OF A 9-YEAR-OLD BOY IN NANJING, East China's Jiangsu province, with his back full of scars after being tortured by his adoptive mother, spread widely online recently, arousing nationwide concern about violence against children. However, after an expert hearing, the local prosecutors' office decided not to approve an application from the local police to arrest her. Comments:

Arrest limits a suspect's rights and consumes the State's resources; hence most countries with rule of law have a common principle of arresting only those who try to flee and those who might continue to harm society. In this case, the prosecutors made the right decision because the child was only lightly wounded while the suspect apologized and shows no hint of fleeing. However, that does not mean she remains free - the procuratorate might still send her to court if they think it necessary. Not arresting a suspect does not mean not prosecuting him or her.

Beijing Times, April 20