PREFACE

The number of juveniles cleared for penal code offenses has been on a decreasing trend but the percentage of juveniles cleared for penal code offenses to the juvenile population has remained at high level and with the percentage of cleared juveniles with a history of delinquency among juveniles cleared for non-traffic penal code offenses having continued to rise. The current status of juvenile delinquencies therefore needs to be paid attention also from now forth. Juveniles will be the leaders of the next generation, and thus promoting their sound development is essential in the future development of Japan. However, sporadic unprecedented heinous offenses committed by juveniles have been drawing social attention, the public therefore are exhibiting strong unrest and increased interest in the current status of juvenile delinquencies.

In contrast to this, however, the situation with crime in Japan has improved to a certain extent in recent years as a result of the united efforts of the public and the government to restore the public safety after the number of reported cases for non-traffic penal code offenses had reached the largest since WWII in 2002. However, the number of reported cases for non-traffic penal code offenses has remained at a significantly high level. Public safety is in the course of being restored but social unrest over public safety has not been fully eliminated. One of the issues with the current situation with crime in Japan is that of repeat offenders, and the rising percentage of repeat offenders among cleared persons in recent years shows the severeness of the issue. The measure against repeat offense is regarded as one of the important measures to restore public safety by the government. Recent editions of the White Paper on Crime included surveys and analysis of the actual situation and causes, etc. of repeat offenses from various point of views to make the measures to prevent repeat offenses more effective, and revealed the importance of treatment to prevent juveniles and young people from repeating offenses. Juveniles younger than 20 and persons aged 20 or older are legally distinguished but their development continues with no clear distinction, and their problems in their internal attitudes and external behavior are considered to be carried over. Discussion of the appropriate treatment for juveniles/young people therefore requires understanding the actual situation of juveniles/young people during the transitional period of their growth to become adult.

Because of this point of view this edition of the White Paper on Crime provides an overview of recent trends in crime and the actual situation with the treatment of offenders, mainly concerning 2010, and features an article entitled the “Picture of Juvenile and Young Offenders and Preventive Measure against their Reoffending.” In this featured article a variety of statistical data, etc. is examined and the results of a follow-up study observing whether juveniles discharged from juvenile training schools had ended up repeating offenses or not are shown. The results were then used to analyze the actual situation with offenses by juveniles discharged from juvenile training schools and the factors and characteristics involved. Furthermore, a survey of the attitudes of juvenile delinquents and young offenders was conducted in thereby analyzing the characteristics of their internal attitudes. In conclusion, it discusses the future prospects of improving the treatment of juveniles/young people.

It is our hope that this White Paper on Crime will help deepen people’s understanding of criminal policies, including the actual situation with the treatment of offenders, including juveniles and young people, and that it will thus be utilized as a useful source of data when discussing measures in the future and thereby contribute to the implementation of various measures, to maintain the public safety by improving the treatment of juveniles and young people.

Lastly, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to the General Secretariat of the Supreme Court, the Cabinet Office, National Police Agency, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and other concerned institutions for their enormous amount of cooperation in compiling this White Paper.

November 2011