China’s Supreme People’s Procuratorate reported significant strides in prosecuting crimes against women, minors, the elderly, and the disabled during the first half of 2024. As part of a nationwide campaign launched in February, the focus has shifted towards safeguarding the rights and interests of these key population groups.

In the first half of 2024, the procuratorial organs across China prosecuted approximately 1.09 million criminals, reflecting a 1.2-fold increase compared to the same period in 2004. This surge underscores the country’s intensified efforts in criminal governance, particularly concerning minor criminal cases, which have become a primary focus.

Crimes Against Women and Minors
During this period, 22,000 individuals were prosecuted for crimes infringing on women’s rights, such as rape and molestation, marking a 14 percent year-on-year increase. In addition to criminal prosecutions, over 900 public interest litigation cases were filed to protect women’s rights, with more than 70 million yuan (approximately $9.8 million) in judicial aid distributed to over 8,000 women in need.

Similarly, crimes against minors saw a substantial increase, with 33,000 people prosecuted in the first half of 2024, a 19.7 percent rise year-on-year. The procuratorial authorities also handled over 6,300 public interest litigation cases involving minors and issued directives to improve guardianship for 16,000 minors.

Protecting the Elderly and Disabled
The procuratorial authorities took robust actions to protect the elderly, prosecuting 18,000 cases of crimes against them—a 7.5 percent year-on-year increase. Over 600 public interest litigation cases were also handled to safeguard the rights of the elderly.

For the disabled, more than 1,400 cases were prosecuted, and over 2,100 public interest cases were filed to improve barrier-free environments, addressing issues such as the lack or poor management of tactile pavements in public places.

Broader Impact and Future Prospects
The crackdown extended to economic and safety-related crimes, with over 570 people prosecuted for refusing to pay labor remuneration, aiding migrant workers in recovering over 70 million yuan in unpaid wages. Additionally, 4,900 individuals were prosecuted for endangering food and drug safety, and 28,000 for telecom fraud and infringement upon citizens’ personal information. Financial crimes also saw a 7.6 percent year-on-year increase with 12,000 prosecutions.

Despite the overall increase in prosecutions, minor criminal cases now constitute a higher proportion, with 85 percent of adjudicated cases resulting in non-prosecution or sentences of three years or less. This marks a significant rise from 2004, reflecting a strategic shift towards addressing minor offenses.

Conversely, severe violent crimes, including intentional homicide, robbery, and rape, have seen a dramatic decrease. Prosecutions for these crimes dropped by 62.5 percent compared to 2004, with their proportion among all prosecutions falling from 20.3 percent in 2004 to 3.7 percent in the first half of 2024.