ARTICLE: Changing Juvenile Crime Laws

[thomas]

The following feature has been written by Kentaro Tomosawa from Heisei International University and reflects a general trend in Japan. The text has been published in 1997, three years before laws on juvenile delinquency have finally been revised.

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I want to change the juvenile crime law, because this law doesn't work in our present society. It is a real problem that many more boys and girls are becoming delinquent. We must change this environment, so Japanese society will get better.

First, recently many boys and girls have committed crimes. They killed many people or animals. The general public has been shocked by them. However, their punishments were more slight than for adults even when their crimes are heavier than those committed by adults. Young people commit crimes coolly.

Second, recently crimes by boys and girls are happening as fads. For example, boys assault office workers and take money from them by force. Then, this kind of crime is done throughout Japan.

Third, boys and girls who commit crimes no longer think that crimes are bad acts and they think that it is natural to commit a crime. So they commit crimes without feeling guilty. This is a very bad situation.

If these trends continue, Japan will be a bad society. I think that is why the government and police should control boys and girls more strictly. So the Japanese government and policy should change the juvenile crime laws. It is necessary to establish more severe and clearer penalties. So many boys' and girls' way of thinking has changed from committing crimes. It is necessary that we understand that bad actions are wrong. And it is necessary that parents should train their children. Parents must protect their children from bad acts. Then, the atmosphere of Japanese society will improve little by little.

Copyright by Kentaro Tomosawa
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[thomas]

The existing flaws in Japan's educational system and the dire need for reforms are a constant topic in Japanese media. Even the Ministry of Education seems to be aware of the shortcomings. For an official standpoint as to what education should aim at, please refer to the following site:

http://www.monbu.go.jp/series-en/00000004/

[thomas]

Taken from Kyodo News:

Young teen criminals can finish school before jail

Friday, March 23, 2001

TOKYO — The Justice Ministry said Friday children aged 14 and 15 sentenced to jail terms under the revised Juvenile Law will be able to complete their compulsory education before starting serving their sentences.

The ministry said it included a set of rules on the education measure before the law revision takes effect April 1. The revision lowers the age limit for punishment by a criminal court from 16 to 14. Most children attending junior high school are aged between 12 and 15.

Copyright © Kyodo News