Authorities estimate that up to 70 percent of all arrested offenders are under the age of 25 and 30 percent are under the age of 18. Delinquents are committing their first offenses at an earlier age and the nature of their offenses is becoming more serious and violent. Between 40 and 60 percent of juvenile offenses are committed by gangs. Chinese criminologists explain the rise in delinquency as a result of disruption in the family structure, in school and work patterns, and in neighborhood organizations as well as a general crisis of belief among the broader population. While the Chinese juvenile justice system has been characterized by informality and wide social participation, the seriousness of the problem has forced the government to institutionalize and legalize control mechanisms. However, during the 1980's, the correction service replaced the police as the primary actor in community corrections efforts, which have centered around the establishment of halfway houses. 6 notes and 31 references