Jiangsu Province Procuratorates: Safeguard Justice and Serve the People
These achievements, along with the 97 percent comprehensive satisfaction rate for five consecutive years as established by an NBS questionnaire, have forged a new image for procuratorates at all levels in Jiangsu Province. Jiangsu also lays claim to more “National Model Procurators” than any other province.
Focus on Ecological Safety
Persistently hazy weather during 2013 exacerbated environmental issues and hence constituted a serious challenge to building a beautiful Jiangsu.
In the spirit of the 18th CPC National Congress, Jiangsu took the lead in proposing the building of an ecological demonstration area. In accordance with the requirements of the central and provincial authorities, the province’s procuratorial system has reiterated its commitment to promoting environmental progress and its resolve to fight pollution-related crimes. The provincial procuratorate, meanwhile, has heightened cooperation with the provincial high court, public security and environmental protection departments, and improved the mechanism on joint environmental protection law enforcement. The province was the first in the country to introduce measures towards establishing a joint environmental protection law enforcement mechanism. In this regard it has made substantial progress in curbing the phenomenon of substituting administrative penalties for criminal punishment.
To handle pressing concerns like environmental impact assessment and environmental monitoring corruption, Jiangsu procuratorates have since 2008 initiated 1,491 public prosecutions for offenses involving 3,041 suspects. They include unlawfully felling trees, illegal hunting and environmental pollution. Particular attention has been given to the latter. One instance is that of Xuzhou City Procuratorate’s investigation of the dumping of 96 tons of strong corrosive chemical wastewater into the Luoma Lake that culminated in the arrest of three suspects. In efforts to combat environmental resource sabotage, Gangzha District Procuratorate of Nantong City prosecuted suspects for illegally excavating sand from the Yangtze River, the first case of its type in China. In Yancheng City, local procuratorates give priority to ecological conservation. Yanlong Lake is listed as a key area, and the focus is on curbing jobbery crimes. To this end they make regular inspections of the area. Local Yancheng procuratorates have handled 73 cases of environmental devastation. Protection of rare animal species also tops the agendas of certain local procuratorates. That in Dafeng City has lodged 17 procuratorial proposals concerning a national elk nature reserve.
The environment is closely related to quality of life. Procuratorates’ efforts are hence in the interests of better serving the people. In this regard, Xu An remarked, “The highest morality is loving the people, and the most virtuous deed is that favorable to the people. The aim of our efforts is to enable the people to benefit from legal construction, and so live up to their expectations. We want ordinary people to live in dignity. In future, Jiangsu Province procuratorates will do their best to root the notion of justice deeply in people’s hearts and enhance their sense of happiness.”
