In the rural areas of the late 1980s, there was no surveillance, no mobile phones, a lack of police force, and a shortage of forensic doctors. There were only 2-3 policemen in the police station, and the handling of cases relied entirely on legwork, interviews, and witnesses and physical evidence.
As soon as land contracting was implemented and food and clothing were settled, the gap between the rich and the poor began to appear: some people became rich by doing business and opening brick kilns, while some people suffered from poverty holding one-third of an acre of land.
With the rise of migrant workers, young and middle-aged people have gone out, leaving only the elderly, women, and children in the village. Left-behind issues, extramarital affairs, debts, land disputes, and clan fighting have become the triggers for high crime rates.
Rural order is maintained by clans, village party secretaries, village tyrants, and old rules. Legal awareness is weak. Private crimes, revenge, and silence have become the norm. Murder cases can easily be covered up as "accidents" and "disappearances."
