Fertile grounds, thorny paths Chinese police and prosecutors’ insights on due process and holistic crime prevention

This dissertation explores Chinese police officers’ and prosecutors’ perceptions of due process and holistic crime prevention. As key actors in the Chinese criminal justice system, their acts and decisions may significantly influence the system’s ongoing reforms aimed at enhancing due process and adopting a more comprehensive approach to crime prevention. Based on semi-structured interviews with 65 respondents—33 prosecutors and 32 police officers—this research reveals several key findings.
Firstly, while respondents collectively acknowledge goals such as due process, crime prevention, and stability maintenance, their recognition is uneven. Police officers tend to focus on crime prevention and stability maintenance, whereas prosecutors focus more on due process. At the individual level, respondents often view these goals as separate and unrelated, overlooking the need for balance when conflict arises.
Secondly, collectively, respondents show a broad understanding of how legal interventions interact with crime. They recognize various interventions beyond punishment, the mixed effects of punishment, and factors affecting its deterrent effect. Individual perspectives, however, are fragmented, with many focusing narrowly on deterrence and overlooking broader aspects of crime prevention.
These findings highlight China’s significant potential to advance its ongoing reforms. But they also underscore the need for improved knowledge exchange between police officers and prosecutors to develop a more comprehensive understanding of crime prevention and due process, like the collective understanding already present. Additionally, this research highlights the need for further empirical studies and perceptual studies on the Chinese criminal justice system to better understand crime and prevention strategies in this complex context.