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Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, 2026, 9(1); doi: 10.25236/AJHSS.2026.090108.

The Construction of the Extinguishing System of Criminal Record in the Era of Minor Crimes Legislation: From the Sealing Path Exploration to Return

Author(s)

Liu Feng1,2

Corresponding Author:
Liu Feng
Affiliation(s)

1Yibin University, Yibin, Sichuan, China

2Key Laboratory of Digital Analysis and Intelligent Decision-Making for Urban–Rural Industrial Integration Development, Sichuan Province for Philosophy and Social Sciences, Yibin, Sichuan, China

Abstract

Regarding the sealing of minor criminal records, China should adopt a progressive approach of "administrative sealing first, followed by criminal record elimination," shifting governance focus from "information control" to "elimination through normative evaluation." The core of institutional development lies in establishing a dedicated chapter on "criminal record elimination or sealing" through legislation, which would confer the legal effect of "deemed non-offender" to remove improper eligibility restrictions and prevent collateral effects. This requires systematic supporting measures, including a unified record management platform, pre-emptive legal standardization, and a social reintegration support network. Only through coordinated governance by legislative, judicial, administrative, and social sectors can criminal record elimination be transformed from legal text into effective practice that facilitates offenders' genuine reintegration into society and achieves modernization of criminal governance.

Keywords

Minor Offense Governance; Criminal Record Erasure; Record Sealing; Social Reintegration

Cite This Paper

Liu Feng. The Construction of the Extinguishing System of Criminal Record in the Era of Minor Crimes Legislation: From the Sealing Path Exploration to Return. Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences (2026), Vol. 9, Issue 1: 50-56. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJHSS.2026.090108.

References

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