Criminal Justice Reform: A Limited Comparison between Mainland China and England and Wales

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative analysis of recent criminal justice reform initiatives in Mainland China and England and Wales, examining efforts to improve fairness, efficiency, human rights protection, and access to justice. While Mainland China’s reforms focus on modernising its legal system through enhanced due process, expanded legal aid, and data transparency—amid persistent challenges related to political influence and uneven implementation—England and Wales pursue reform through digitalisation, sentencing consistency, restorative justice, and legal aid expansion, yet face issues of backlog, underfunding, and prison overcrowding. Despite differing legal traditions and political frameworks, both jurisdictions exhibit common aspirations toward accountability, judicial independence, and procedural fairness. This study highlights the value of comparative insights in identifying both universal challenges and context-specific pathways in criminal justice reform, contributing to the broader discourse on global legal development and institutional legitimacy.

Keywords: Mainland, China, England, Wales, Criminal, Justice, Reform, Rights, Procedure, Due Process, UK, United Kingdom, Comparative

JEL Classification: K14, K38, K42, K41