刑事一体化视角下的轻罪应对

Addressing Misdemeanors from an Integrated Criminal Perspective

我国现行《刑法》未对轻罪作出明文规定,但大致可以将三年有期徒刑以下刑罚的犯罪归入轻罪的范畴,当然特定犯罪除外。近年来轻罪激增的原因较为复杂,既有立法层面增设轻罪这一直接原因,也有司法层面基于刑罚轻缓化的政策要求和形势变化的时代背景而提升定罪量刑标准这一重要原因。未来,应在刑事一体化视野下妥当应对轻罪。就贯彻刑法谦抑原则而言,最为紧迫的是通过优化定罪量刑标准有效控制帮助信息网络犯罪活动罪等多发轻罪的入罪范围;就推进综合治理而言,最为重要的是实现行刑有序衔接,既要立足当下通过司法裁量实现“出刑转行”,又要立足长远谋划对《刑法》规定的行为在《治安管理处罚法》中允许比照适用,实现“两法衔接”,切实发挥《治安管理处罚法》事实上的“轻罪法”作用;就贯彻程序优先理念而言,要充分发挥审前分流作用,避免轻罪案件“扎堆”进入审判程序,并在降低羁押率的前提下扩大非监禁刑的适用;就完善前科制度而言,可以轻微犯罪记录封存制度为突破口,并采取“程序修法先行,实体修法跟上”的具体策略,进一步实现犯罪的轻重有序治理。

While China’s current criminal law does not explicitly define misdemeanors,offenses punishable by less than three years of imprisonment generally fall into this category,with some exceptions for specific crimes.The recent rise in misdemeanors is attributed to several factors:the legislative expansion of such offenses,judicial policies that elevate conviction and sentencing standards in response to demands for lighter penalties,and evolving circumstances.In the future,an integrated approach is needed to effectively address misdemeanors.To uphold the principle of restraint in criminal law,it is crucial to optimize conviction and sentencing standards to control the scope of offenses,particularly for those such as aiding cybercrime,which has become more common.In terms of comprehensive governance,seamless coordination between criminal and administrative penalties should be achieved.In the short term,judicial discretion can be employed to transition certain cases from criminal procedures to administrative handling.Long-term strategies include aligning behaviors regulated by the Criminal Law with provisions in the Public Security Administration Punishment Law,enhancing the latter’s role as a“misdemeanor law”.Moreover,procedural justice must be prioritized by utilizing pre-trial diversion mechanisms to prevent an influx of misdemeanor cases in court,while expanding the use of non-custodial sentences and lowering detention rates.To improve the criminal record system,the introduction of a record-sealing system for minor offenses could serve as a breakthrough,using a strategy where procedural reforms precede substantive legal changes,thus creating a more orderly system for distinguishing between major and minor crimes.