China’s judicial authorities have documented a substantial reduction in serious criminal activities alongside intensified measures targeting corruption within the legal system. According to the Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP), the nation has witnessed its lowest criminal case volume this century, with public safety satisfaction metrics consistently exceeding 98% over six consecutive years.
Statistical data from January to November 2025 reveals procuratorial organs approved the arrest of 604,000 individuals—a 12.9% annual decrease—while initiating prosecution against 1.27 million persons, representing a 13.3% year-on-year reduction. Particularly noteworthy was the 10.3% decline in severe violent offenses including intentional homicide, robbery, and kidnapping, with these cases constituting less than 4% of total prosecutions for nearly ten years.
Deputy Prosecutor General Miao Shengming emphasized the breakthrough in resolving historical criminal cases, noting that prosecutors had pursued charges against 369 suspects involved in major crimes dating back over two decades. Concurrently, human trafficking offenses reached their lowest point in a decade with 950 individuals prosecuted—a 16.4% reduction from previous records.
Despite these improvements, SPP’s Major Crimes Department director Zhang Jianzhong cautioned about evolving criminal methodologies showing increased concealment and digitalization patterns. In response, prosecutorial agencies are prioritizing expedited and severe punishment for extreme violent crimes that generate significant public concern, including firearm-related offenses and narcotics trafficking.
Parallel to crime reduction efforts, 2025 witnessed strengthened anti-corruption mechanisms within judicial operations. Procuratorates investigated 1,378 personnel for abuses including power manipulation and fraudulent litigation practices. The SPP publicized exemplary cases demonstrating misconduct in handling organized crime and illegal gambling operations, resulting in prison sentences for five judicial officials convicted of dereliction of duty and authority abuse.
A specialized review initiative culminated in the correction of over 200 improperly handled cases by year’s end, establishing new benchmarks for standardized investigative procedures across China’s legal apparatus.