In association with economic reform, China has experienced dramatic changes not only in the economic sphere but also politically, culturally, and socially. There was an increasing crime rate in the midst of this transition which included new crimes (e.g., economic crimes) and new or re-emergent crime groups (e.g., juveniles and "underworld gangs"). In an effort to counter rising crime, the Chinese Government adopted a "severe strike campaign" that has involved harsher punishments, usually at a faster pace, and sometimes based on violations of normal procedures. The government declared this strategy to be a success after more criminals were arrested and sentenced. Using official data and reports, this article describes and analyzes the campaign's principles and how the "severe strike campaign" has been planned and implemented, as well as its impact on crime in the face of complex economic and social changes. Although the government's social-control campaign had some short-term effects, statistical data over time have not supported the claimed success by the government; however, the campaigns did raise people's awareness of the crime problem, gain public support for crackdowns, and set clear moral boundaries. Still, the roots of the worsening crime problem, which lie in the increased stratification of the society and the erosion of community ideological control under social transition, have not been effectively addressed. The effect of a single-dimension, "get-tough" crime policy will always be minimal under such dramatic societal changes. 7 tables, 24 notes, and 62 references