China considers sexual offender blacklist in teacher recruitment

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The top procuratorate is considering using a database of sex-related crimes against children, and working with other authorities to make a blacklist for use in teaching qualification and teacher recruitment checks.

Shi Weizhong, a senior prosecutor with the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP), said earlier this week that such efforts were expected to help prevent crimes against juveniles.

"Judicial practices have found that the recidivism rate of crimes against minors, especially sexual violations, is high and many of the cases happened between those who know each other," Shi said.

File of students learning to prevent sexual violence in Jinan, Shandong Province. /VCG Photo

"That makes it important to prevent those with relevant records from entering professions that may have close contact with children," Shi said.

Shi said the procuratorate in Shanghai's Minhang District had worked with other authorities and launched such a program in 2017 to ban those with records such as rape, indecency and organizing prostitution from working in education, training, medical care, social assistance, entertainment, sports and libraries that provide services for juveniles in the district.

As of the end of January, more than 3,800 people have been blacklisted and over 11,000 workers at relevant institutions have been checked.

The Shanghai municipal procuratorate is also working to establish such a system in the whole city, according to Shi.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency