Shaping young minds about the law

Education and awareness about the law, particularly among young people in China, are crucial for empowering them with the knowledge and tools to protect their rights.

Shen Hang, 27, works as an HR professional in Beijing. One of her favorite TV shows is Who's the Murderer, produced by Mango TV, an internet video platform affiliated with Hunan Satellite TV.

First aired in 2016, the show aims to raise public awareness of the law by solving murder mysteries. Starting from season seven, the program introduced a special segment at the end, one that featured judges from the Supreme People's Court discussing the legal aspects of each case, analyzing their causes and lessons.

Shen recalled one of the most memorable episodes for her, the seventh story of the season titled The Sin Under the Rose, in which the victim committed suicide after facing injustices such as privacy violations, defamation, illegal detention, and workplace bullying.

"If we are unfamiliar with the law, we may feel wronged or hurt when encountering illegal actions without even realizing that these behaviors are unlawful," said Shen. "With knowledge provided by the show, we can use legal tools to protect ourselves."

Law is deeply intertwined in our daily lives, yet many individuals, especially young people, seem to not be familiar enough with it.

According to a report released on May 31 by the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the number of individuals arrested for crimes against minors increased by 35.3 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year, and the number of juvenile offenders arrested increased by 73.7 percent.

The report suggests that legal knowledge should be promoted more frequently and with greater emphasis through school activities and TV programs.