The police (or Public Security Bureau ) are recognizable by their green uniforms and caps, though there are a lot more around than you might at first think, as plenty are undercover. They have much wider powers than most Western police forces, including establishing the guilt of criminals - trials are used only for deciding the sentence of the accused (though this is changing and China now has the beginnings of an independent judiciary). If the culprit is deemed to show proper remorse, this will result in a more lenient sentence. Laws are harsh, with execution - a bullet in the back of the head - the penalty for a wide range of serious crimes, from corruption to rape.

Crime is a growth industry in fast-changing China, with official corruption and juvenile offences the worst problems. Much crime is blamed on spiritual pollution by foreign influence, the result of increasing liberalization. But serious social problems, such as mass unemployment, are more to blame, as is the let's-get-rich attitude that has become the prevailing ideology. However, there is no need for paranoia; China is still safer to travel in than many Western countries