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Social Identity of Migrant Offenders

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Internal Migration, Crime, and Punishment in Contemporary China

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Abstract

This chapter examines the social identity of migrant offenders. It begins with an outline of the hukou system, the rural-urban divide and social inequality in China. It then goes on to present empirical data drawn from the interviews with 41 incarcerated rural migrant offenders. More specifically, it first profiles socio-demographic characteristics of migrant lawbreakers. Secondly, it investigates why peasant-workers moved off the land and into the city in the first place, to identify their goals when heading for cities. Thirdly, it explores the life conditions of peasant-workers. The chapter explains why in reality it is hard for rural migrant workers to fulfil their dreams in cities. More often, they struggle to live an average or sustainable life in the legitimate world in urban China. Some may turn to criminal offending.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Northumbria Law School, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK

    Anqi Shen

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  1. Anqi Shen
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Shen, A. (2018). Social Identity of Migrant Offenders. In: Internal Migration, Crime, and Punishment in Contemporary China. Springer Series on Asian Criminology and Criminal Justice Research. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00674-7_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00674-7_2

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