Organized crimes in a transitional economy: the resurgence of the criminal underworld in contemporary China

Abstract

Since the start of economic reform in 1978, China has witnessed significant challenges posed by the resurgence of organized crime. In response, the Chinese government launched a series of national ‘strike hard’ campaigns aiming to eradicate all kinds of serious crime alongside specialized campaigns against gambling, prostitution, trafficking and smuggling. These campaigns have not, however, been effective against organized crime and police corruption. This chapter identifies the causes for the re-emergence of the criminal underworld in mainland China. It offers a critique of China’s existing anti-crime and counter-corruption policies and makes recommendations for future research and policy development.