Cover Story: The Evolution of Crime in China

As rising prosperity and technological advances transform Chinese society, the nation’s criminal profile is changing dramatically. In the past decade or so, the number of violent felonies has plunged while new forms of misdemeanors emerged, creating new challenges for the legal system.

From 2013 to 2021, the number of serious violent crimes including murder, robbery and kidnapping declined by nearly 30%, according to data released by the Supreme People’s Court in July. Nearly 85% of all criminal convictions in 2021 ended with light sentence of less than three years imprisonment.