More vigorous efforts should be taken to help improve the environment for youngsters in a bid to stem the rising trend for juvenile delinquency, said a political advisor Thursday.

"Available statistics from China's police departments show that the ratio of juvenile delinquents to the number of criminal suspects in society at large from 2000 to 2003 was 11.8 percent, 12 percent, 13.4 percent and 18.9 percent respectively," said Huang Jingjun, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), during the fourth plenary meeting of the annual session of the CPPCC National Committee.

Huang noted that he held the society accountable for the rising rate of juvenile delinquency.

"Enlarging rich-poor wealth gap, inequality in receiving education, media publicity of extravagant livelihoods, the spread of pornography and drugs, a lack of caring attention for kids of single-parent families and the inadequate enforcement of laws in protecting minors have all been ascribed to increasing juvenile crimes," acknowledged Huang.

Moreover, he called on enhanced crackdown on pornography and other offences detrimental to the minds of youngsters so as to create a still better environment for their maturing. In addition, their legal rights and interests, especially their right to education, should be protected.

Huang suggested ethical and legal education be stepped up in elementary and high schools. In addition, communities should strengthen education and administration of idle youngsters and those of single-parent families.

"Vagrant kids and minors that have erred before should be brought under care and have their misbehaviors corrected so that they will not stray into committing crimes," Huang said.