Criminal Policy Preliminary

Author: Liu Renwen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: Taking the opportunity to pursue a Ph.D. while working, conducting a special research topic was one of my wishes. This wish is now largely fulfilled. The book before you is revised based on my doctoral dissertation. Its first draft was completed in the first half of 2002, when I received significant guidance from my doctoral supervisor, Professor He Bingsong. At the doctoral dissertation defense held in May of that year, the defense committee, chaired by Professor Cao Zidan, gave the paper high praise, considering it an "innovative" and "excellent" doctoral dissertation. After the defense, some teachers and friends suggested that I publish the paper as soon as possible. At the time, however, I was "ambitious" and wanted to expand the manuscript into a book titled The Basic System and Framework of Criminal Policy before publishing it, as a "culminating work" in my field. Little did I know that over two years later, this wish would remain unfulfilled. In these years, I have frequently been granted opportunities to study abroad, even traveling to world-renowned universities like Oxford and Yale—truly a blessing (as my friends would say). However, this also disrupted some of my original academic plans, and the expansion of this book being left unfulfilled is one of them. Now, due to certain utilitarian reasons (the story is long, so I’ll skip to the point), I must publish this book in its current form, fulfilling a line from the postscript of my doctoral dissertation: "Most things in life are beyond one’s control." "Personality determines destiny," and different personalities not only lead to different lives but also different academic styles (at least to a significant extent). Since 1993, when I joined the Institute of Law at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, I have gradually developed my own research approach after countless hesitations and uncertainties. About a year ago, I defined my academic mission as three things: first, writing monographs and papers on criminal law; second, translating works on Anglo-American criminal law; and third, writing academic essays. The first is original, demonstrating that I am a producer in an academic field; the second is promotional, showing that I am a marketer in an academic field; and the third is popular, indicating that I am a dedicated citizen in the public sphere—or, as some might call it, a "public intellectual." For these three missions, I am fully aware that completing any one of them would require a lifetime of effort. Some friends kindly suggested that I narrow my focus, and I have consciously made some adjustments myself (such as declining repetitive interviews, as I have already offered my advice). However, I still insist on pursuing these three directions. To this end, I have also decided to make some necessary sacrifices: first, giving up my desire for official positions; second, attending fewer meetings; and third, as Lu Xun once said, using others' coffee time for work. As for my academic colleagues, I only ask one thing: treat every scholar with different styles with tolerance. The writing of this book was guided and assisted by the following individuals: Professor He Bingsong, Professor Cao Zidan, Professor Xue Ruilin, Professor Qu Xinjiu, and Professor Ma Dengmin of China University of Political Science and Law; Professor Chu Huizhi and Professor Chen Xingliang of Peking University; Professor Gao Mingxuan and Professor Lu Jianping of Renmin University of China; Researcher Ouyang Tao, Researcher Chen Baoshu, and Researcher Chen Zexian of the Institute of Law, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Professor Li Wenyan of the People’s Public Security University of China; and Professor Jiang Lihua of the National Prosecutors College. Additionally, many academic predecessors and friends have shown interest and encouragement in my research. Editor-in-Chief Chen Xueli of the People’s Public Security University Press directly promoted the publication of this book. I am deeply grateful to all of them.