Chapter 116 Collaboration: Prevention is the Resilience and Compassion of Society
Carrying a heavy load of home visit data and a preliminary report, Jiang Ling and Ying Xuanji did not stop. They went to the local police station where the crime occurred and found Chief Wang and several veteran police officers in charge of the area.
"Director Wang, comrades, I apologize for disturbing you." Ying Xuanji got straight to the point, "Although the case has been solved, these children, especially those like Wang Qiang and Zhao Xiaopeng, have serious family problems and are likely to develop bad habits. When they are released from the juvenile detention center, they will still have to return to our jurisdiction."
Director Wang nodded, his brow furrowed: "Yes, these teenagers are the hardest to deal with. Their families can't control them, they don't have jobs after they leave home, and they easily get mixed up with those hooligans again, becoming our key 'watchful' targets. They cause trouble every few days, it's a real headache."
Jiang Ling immediately chimed in, "That's precisely why we're here to communicate. We can't just wait until they commit another offense before we take action. Prevention must begin now!"
She presented the reports from Chen Dong, Wang Qiang, and Zhao Xiaopeng, emphasizing their risks and possible solutions: "Police stations are a key force in grassroots governance; they are familiar with the situation and have a deterrent effect. We hope to work with police stations and communities to establish a support mechanism."
Director Wang, who also rose through the ranks, was well aware of the harm caused by these troubled teenagers and was very interested in the support mechanism proposed by Jiang Ling: "Could you elaborate?"
Jiang Ling took out the guarantee signed and sealed by Chen Dong's father and handed it to Director Wang: "This is Chen Dong's father's guarantee. He is short-tempered and easily angered, and often beats and scolds his children. However, after being educated this time, he has gained a better understanding and wrote this guarantee. This copy is kept at the police station, and the other copy is kept at the neighborhood committee. You are both responsible for supervising it."
When Chief Wang saw Chen's father's crooked signature, he couldn't help but laugh and scold, "Old Chen! You don't know, Chen Dong once came to the police station to complain about his father, and as a result, his father beat him up. Our police station couldn't say much. Now that we have this guarantee, we can teach him a good lesson."
Jiang Ling said, "You must be serious and not give Chen Dong's father a chance to argue. Our police station can't always treat domestic violence as a private family matter; we must take it seriously!"
Several veteran police officers had strong feelings about domestic violence.
"Although we mainly focus on mediation now, we sometimes need to differentiate between different situations."
“Look at Chen Dong, I watched him grow up. He was very smart and quick-witted when he was young, but because Old Chen was too rough and beat him all the time, he learned to do the same… Sigh!”
“Okay, from now on we will not only make them write guarantees, but also make them write down how to deal with violations of their promises. Those who are employed will be dealt with by their employers, and those who are unemployed will be sent to community service. If the punishment is not adequate, the guarantee is just for show.”
Looking at Ying Xuanji and Jiang Ling, whose faces were flushed and sweat beaded on their foreheads from the sun, Director Wang was inspired by their serious work attitude and nodded solemnly, saying, "If even professors can put aside their airs to make home visits, we grassroots police officers can't fall behind. Don't worry, we will definitely keep the guarantee letter safe and supervise Old Chen properly."
Jiang Ling then mentioned Wang Qiang: "Wang Qiang's only relative now is his grandmother. Please pay more attention to the elderly. The government has assistance policies, allocating funds annually to elderly people living alone and impoverished families. Please have the police station and community contact them about this. It would be best to arrange for someone to regularly connect Wang Qiang and his grandmother so that they can maintain open communication. His grandmother is the softest part of Wang Qiang's heart. Treating the elderly kindly is like planting seeds of love in Wang Qiang's tender heart, which will weaken his hostility."
Seeing how meticulous Jiang Ling and her fellow teachers and students had been in their work, Director Wang was deeply moved: "Good, I'll contact the community officials right away and make sure it's all implemented properly."
Finally, there's Zhao Xiaopeng. Jiang Ling expressed deep sympathy for this teenager living in violence: "He wasn't born bad; he went astray just to survive. The school and society both bear responsibility for this. We can send him to a reform school so he can learn a skill and survive. Once he gets out, he'll be able to support himself."
Director Wang sighed: "It's a good thing to get rid of those kinds of families."
Jiang Ling's expression was solemn as she took out a detailed written report: "Education is a long-term process. In addition to family education and early intervention, the reintegration of these five teenagers in your jurisdiction will require everyone's joint efforts."
The report mentioned the support mechanism for Chen Dong and others after they were released from juvenile detention centers or reform schools.
"First, please pay close attention to these teenagers. Before the judicial authorities release them, their psychological evaluation reports and rehabilitation progress in juvenile detention centers or reform schools should be provided to the local police station and community."
Upon hearing this, Director Wang smiled wryly and said, "You think we can just synchronize like that? Who's going to do that?"
Ying Xuanji said, "We will report this to the juvenile detention center and the reform school. They will contact you regularly and hope that the center will assign someone to take charge of the children's future development."
Director Wang thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "Alright then, we have no problem assigning someone to take charge. Anyway, these kids are definitely on our list of key concerns. As long as someone from the juvenile detention center sends them over, we will definitely take a close look at them."
The reason why multi-party collaboration cannot be promoted is because it takes a long time, and each department at all levels has its own tasks and responsibilities, making it impossible to keep an eye on a few children in the long run. Right now, just for the first point, Jiang Ling and her colleagues have to make several trips between the juvenile detention center, the reform school, and the police station to get it implemented.
Jiang Ling continued, "Secondly, we require reintegrated teenagers to regularly report to the community. The community can organize them to participate in some public service activities within their capabilities, such as cleaning the community, assisting in caring for elderly people living alone, and participating in the maintenance of community green spaces. This allows them to experience responsibility through labor, rebuild their connection with society, and also makes it easier for community cadres to observe and guide them closely."
This is within the scope of the police station's responsibilities, so it's not too difficult. Chief Wang said, "No problem, it's just a matter of communicating more with the community."
Jiang Ling said, "Third, we need to strengthen supervision and support for families. We hope that after the children return, the police station and community cadres can visit their families regularly to urge the guardians to fulfill their responsibilities and provide possible assistance, such as applying for minimum living allowance, temporary relief, and skills training."
Director Wang thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay, I'll talk to the community about this and come up with a set of rules. We'll handle all children like this in the future."
Jiang Ling, having also worked at a police station, knew firsthand the intricacies and meticulousness of their work. She looked at Chief Wang and said gently, “Children are the future of the country. We need your help to provide positive guidance, encourage community youth centers and activity centers to open to them, organize healthy cultural and sports activities, and encourage their participation so they can feel the acceptance and warmth of the community and distance themselves from negative social circles. At the same time, we must combine kindness with strictness, promptly warning and admonishing any emerging problems, clearly defining the legal boundaries, and letting them feel that as long as they abide by the law, society has not abandoned them.”
“I know this requires effort and patience, and it will be very hard for you,” Jiang Ling said sincerely. “But compared to the harm that their recidivism will cause to society and the subsequent police force required, this preventative investment is worthwhile.”
Director Wang and several veteran police officers reviewed the home visit records and the reintegration assistance report brought by Jiang Ling. As they listened to her detailed plans, their expressions gradually shifted from routine to serious and solemn. They were all too aware of the destructive power of these "problem teenagers" and the helplessness in managing them.
Although Jiang Ling's plan increased the workload of the police station, it also provided a more proactive and fundamental solution.
After a long period of contemplation, Director Wang spoke up: "Professor Ying, Comrade Jiang Ling, what you said makes sense. In the past, our management mainly focused on preventing them from committing further offenses, which was rather passive. Your approach is to proactively lend them a helping hand. The report is very detailed, and the ideas are practical. So, we'll pilot this in our institute first, and discuss it with Old Zhang and his colleagues in the community. The specifics of how to do it still need to be refined, but I support this direction!"
The last stop was Qingyuan No. 3 Middle School.
The five teenagers who committed the crime all attended this school, whether in junior high or high school.
The atmosphere in the principal's office was somewhat awkward. The principal and several directors of moral education were clearly aware of the students' involvement in the case, and their faces showed embarrassment and pressure.
Professor Ying Xuanji didn't stand on ceremony and went straight to the point: "Principal, teachers, our purpose here is not to pursue accountability, but to work with the school to reflect on this case and how to better protect our students and prevent such tragedies from happening again."
Jiang Ling placed a copy of Chen Dong et al.'s "Individual Crime Risk Assessment Report" in front of the principal, especially pointing out the key points in the report related to the school's educational environment.
Zhou Xiaoyang faces excessive academic pressure and a lack of self-identity under an elite evaluation system.
— Chen Dong's academic performance was mediocre, but his inner repression went unnoticed.
—Li Wei is introverted, has low self-esteem, lacks attention and guidance, and is easily influenced by groups.
— Wang Qiang and Zhao Xiaopeng dropped out of junior high school, but the school did not pay attention to it.
“Principal, Zhou Xiaoyang is in the top ten of the grade, Chen Dong’s performance in school is average, and Li Wei is unremarkable. In the traditional evaluation system, they may not be considered representatives of problem students. But the report shows that their inner pressure, lack of emotional support, and desire for recognition have all become forces that push them to the brink of crime.”
"Wang Qiang's parents are both deceased, and Zhao Xiaopeng's father is unemployed, leaving their families in dire financial straits. They dropped out of school because they couldn't afford the textbook fees, and the school bears an undeniable responsibility for this. They are both junior high school students, still within the scope of compulsory education. The school should conduct thorough home visits to understand the reasons for their dropping out and help them return to the classroom."
Jiang Ling's tone was heavy with sorrow, "Schools are not only places for imparting knowledge, but also homes for shaping character and protecting the soul. This case reminds us that focusing solely on grades is far from enough!"
Several school leaders broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing this.
The case of juvenile violent crime in Qingyuan City has caused a great social reaction and put the school under tremendous pressure. Many reporters who visited the school mentioned the issue of dropouts, and the Education Bureau even sent an inspection team to the school to carry out a comprehensive rectification.
The principal wiped the cold sweat from his forehead: "Yes, this is a dereliction of duty on our part, and we are currently making rectifications. The specific measures are still being refined."
Jiang Ling took out a document she had worked on with her mentor, titled "Several Suggestions on Reducing Juvenile Delinquency and Strengthening School Supervision and Management," and said, "I have a few specific suggestions here; please take a look."
The recommendations, taking into account the psychology of juvenile delinquency, all propose feasible measures.
Jiang Ling's words were clear and powerful: "First, establish a mental health screening and intervention mechanism. Schools should conduct regular psychological assessments of students, paying particular attention to students under high pressure, students with family problems, and introverted and unsociable students. They should also establish student psychological profiles and provide early intervention and follow-up counseling for high-risk individuals."
The principal nodded: "Yes, we have considered that as well. This case serves as a reminder to the school that we must take preventative measures and nip juvenile delinquency in the bud."
Jiang Ling: "Second, we will strengthen life education, legal education, and emotional management courses. We will make the courses more vivid and relevant to students' lives, teaching them to recognize the value of life, respect the law, manage their emotions, cope with stress, and learn to resist bad temptations and group pressure."
The principal exchanged a glance with several teachers.
One of the moral education teachers spoke up: "Okay, we'll go back and organize a group lesson planning session to optimize the content of the moral education curriculum, focusing on those children who resist education and persuading them with reason."
Jiang Ling nodded and continued, "Third, we need to create an inclusive and diverse campus culture. We must change the evaluation criteria that solely judge students by their grades, encourage the development of diverse interests and talents, and provide platforms for students with different characteristics to showcase their abilities and gain recognition, thereby reducing feelings of marginalization and oppression."
This is easier said than done.
The principal looked troubled: "Nowadays, school evaluations are all about grades. After all, exam scores are all numbers, easy to quantify. How do you quantify these interests and special talents you mentioned? Guiding children to do these things isn't linked to teachers' salaries at all, so they have no motivation."
Ying Xuanji, coming from a university, was naturally aware of the problems with the school's evaluation system: "We can organize extracurricular interest groups to leverage the strengths of teachers from different subjects. Each group could be assigned a certain number of class hours, and students could receive additional rewards if they win competitions."
The topic of distributing money became quite sensitive, and the school leaders looked at each other without saying a word.
In the end, the principal made the final decision: "Okay! We'll do it the way the professor suggested. Our school has really made a name for itself this time, so we have to grit our teeth, steel ourselves, and fix it properly the first time!"
Ying Xuanji smiled and said, "With the principal having such determination, I believe that No. 3 Middle School will definitely be able to turn things around."
The principal smiled wryly: "Thank you for your kind words."
Ying Xuanji looked at Jiang Ling: "I have two more suggestions. Please continue."
Jiang Ling: "Fourth, strengthen the depth of communication between home and school. This includes not only academic communication but also attention to students' psychological state and behavioral changes. For families like Chen Dong's and Zhou Xiaoyang's, the school should proactively communicate and provide family education guidance resources. Fifth, give more attention to 'inconspicuous' students. Class teachers and subject teachers need to proactively care for introverted students with low self-esteem, helping them build confidence, integrate into the group, and prevent them from becoming 'prey' for negative groups."
The principal and several department heads reviewed the report, listening to Jiang Ling's detailed suggestions one by one, their expressions growing increasingly serious. For the first time, they saw so clearly how many pressing problems lay hidden behind the report cards.
The principal took off his glasses, rubbed his temples, and sighed deeply: "This report is truly thought-provoking. We will immediately convene a school affairs meeting to study and implement your suggestions. Mental health screening and curriculum reform will also be put on the agenda. Rest assured, through this case, we have deeply realized the shortcomings and deficiencies in school education, and we will definitely make thorough rectifications!"
The case summary meeting of Qingyuan City Public Security Bureau was successfully held.
When Jiang Ling and Ying Xuanji re-entered the meeting room with thick home visit records, five detailed "Individual Crime Risk Assessment Reports," a preliminary letter of intent for joint action from the police station, and the principal of No. 3 Middle School's commitment to rectification, the atmosphere was already different.
As Captain Zhao Gang and the other investigators looked at the stacks of materials before them, materials that embodied their hard work, were filled with the warmth of life, and carried a heavy weight, and as they listened to Jiang Ling's clear and organized report on the results of their visits and communications over the past few days, as well as the more practical and actionable "tiered intervention recommendations" based on these materials, the meeting room fell silent.
There were no questions, no interruptions, only silent listening and contemplation and emotion revealed in their eyes.
During the home visits, Chen's father's sighs, Zhou's mother's weeping, Wang Qiang's grandmother's pleas, Li Wei's parents' regrets, the principal of No. 3 Middle School's solemn promises, and Director Wang's pragmatic attitude of expressing support... all of this was far more powerful than any theoretical preaching.
Ying Xuanji stood in front of the conference table, looked around, and delivered her concluding remarks.
“Punishment is the rigidity of the law, but prevention is the resilience and compassion of society. The tragedy of these five teenagers is the result of multiple failures at the family, school, society, and individual levels. Our tiered intervention recommendations are precisely an attempt to build preventative dams at these points of failure. We will rehabilitate high-risk individuals, guide vulnerable individuals, and educate potential individuals, working together with the community, family, and school to pull these children back from the wrong path.”
"I know this is difficult, but for social stability and the healthy growth of our children, we must embody the spirit of the Foolish Old Man Who Moved Mountains and do it step by step. These reports, these testimonies from our visits, and these initial responses from the grassroots are the first stones we are carving out! We earnestly request the leaders of the Municipal Bureau to submit this proposal along with these materials to strive for a safer and healthier future for the children of Qingyuan City!"
Captain Zhao Gang silently flipped through the thick stacks of reports in front of him, then looked up at Ying Xuanji and Jiang Ling, whose eyes were firm yet filled with compassion. He was deeply moved by their persistent and earnest spirit.
He stood up, without any unnecessary pleasantries, his voice deep yet powerful.
"Professor Ying, Comrade Jiang Ling, thank you for your hard work. This report, these suggestions, and these materials are very important. On behalf of the Qingyuan City Public Security Bureau's Criminal Investigation Brigade, I, Zhao Gang, give you my full support! We will definitely report to the higher-level Party committee and government in full. The work you have done has taught us all a lesson. Arresting people is important, but how to prevent fewer children from going astray is even more important! No matter how difficult this path is, we must find a way to forge it!"
The meeting concluded in an unprecedented atmosphere of solemnity and contemplation.
This time, there was no applause, but that silence was more profound and full of hope than any applause.
Jiang Ling knew that the journey to prevent crime had only just begun.
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