1.  Recently,serious threats caused by crimes have been a great concern to society.How to restore a safe society where the general public can live peacefully has become an important issue,and there have been lively discussions and various efforts made widely in various quarters.
The number of juveniles cleared(receiving correctional guidance)for penal code offenses(including juveniles of illegal behavior)has remained around200,000for years,in spite of a decreasing youth population.In2004,the number was193,076,below200,000for the first time in three years,but accounted for about15%of the total number of persons cleared for penal code offenses.The percentage of persons cleared(receiving correctional guidance)for penal code offenses per100,000juveniles aged10-19has been on an upward trend recently,and stood at1,505.9in2004,down from the previous year,but still remaining at a high level following the peak of juvenile delinquency in the early1980s.The percentage was about1.4times that of adults cleared for penal code offenses per100,000persons.Furthermore,the number of juveniles cleared(receiving correctional guidance)for robbery has been over1,000since1996,and atrocious crimes have also occurred.The future trend of juvenile delinquency is still hard to forecast.
2.  Recently,there have been cases where juveniles committed atrocious crimes but their motives were hard to understand.It is pointed out that many juvenile delinquents suffer from complicated family relationships and have various problems in their upbringing and personalities.
Under rapid changes of the population structure with a low birthrate and longevity in Japan,the environment surrounding juveniles has also changed significantly.Those changes,such as a decrease in family members,an increase in divorce rate,diffusion of the Internet,and diversification and liquidation of employment,have affected juveniles in various ways.
In order to rehabilitate juvenile delinquents and prevent them from committing a crime again,not only the fact of delinquency but the whole picture of cases including families,schools,and local communities needs to be clarified and an appropriate disposition should be provided.It is required to provide juvenile delinquents with appropriate and effective treatment in correctional institutions and society and also to work on their guardians according to need.Furthermore,the most urgent issue for overall society is to make up for insufficient supervision by families and provide juveniles with support and guidance so that they can root themselves in local communities.
3.  Preventing juvenile delinquency and promoting the upbringing of sound juveniles who will lead the next generation is what the whole of society requires,and criminal justice is responsible for taking strict and appropriate measures against juvenile delinquency.
  It has been four years since the Law for Partial Amendment to the Juvenile Law etc.(Law No.142of2000)was enacted in April2001,and it has become established.Under this law,cases committed by those under16may be referred to public prosecutors,and cases where those over16at the time of committing a crime purposely caused the death of victims are in principle referred to public prosecutors.In addition to this review on punishment,this law includes improvement of fact-finding procedures such as an introduction of public prosecutor involvement,and enhancement of consideration towards crime victims.Furthermore,in order to respond properly to the current situation of juvenile delinquency,the Law for Partial Amendment to the Juvenile Law etc.,which enables commitment of juveniles under14to juvenile training schools,was submitted to the Diet in March2004,and discussions have been continuing on juvenile legislation.
  At this point,it is necessary to review the roles of criminal justice in coping with juvenile delinquency based on objective data and to continue deliberations for better implementation of the roles.
  The2005White Paper features juvenile delinquency and provides data for future discussions by analyzing the recent trend of juvenile delinquency in Japan and delinquents'characteristics,showing the current conditions of treatment of juveniles in institutions and society,introducing the current conditions and treatment of juveniles having committed serious offenses after the amendment of the Juvenile Law to identify the problems,and also outlining the trends of juvenile delinquency and related judicial systems in foreign c ountries.