A recent prostitution case involving 30 underage girls in Shanghai has spurred a local official to decry a "lack of moral consciousness" among the girls involved.

The girls, most of whom are high school students, were found to have had sexual relations with older men since 2009 in exchange for hundreds or even thousands of yuan, according to a Wednesday statement from the Zhabei District People's Procuratorate, which is handling the case.

Court proceedings against five of the girls were started in September and the rest of the girls are still under investigation, the procuratorate said.

The astonishing case, initially discovered by police in March, can be attributed to a "lack of legal awareness and moral consciousness," according to Han Konglin, an official with the procuratorate.

"We did not realize that we had done something illegal," said "Xiao Jia," one of the underage prostitutes. "But the allowance I receive from my parents cannot meet my demands."

Han said that the girls did not feel ashamed about their deeds.

"They were engaging in prostitution only to earn money for shopping," he said.

Investigators also cited a lack of proper parenting for the girls' behavior.

"Inefficient communication, lavish care and mistreatment are all to be blamed," said Han.

Moral education is also neglected in some schools, especially in vocational and technical schools, according to Tang Xiaotian, a professor at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law.

Tang also pointed out problems in the management of popular chain hotels, which have allowed teenage prostitution and other criminal activity to thrive.

Check-in procedures at chain hotels like Home Inn and Motel 168 are not strict, with some hotels even allowing customers to check into rooms by using others' identification.

Tang said the staff of these hotels typically turn a blind eye when they see suspicious activity, as they don't want to jeopardize their employers' profits.

Tang suggested that supervision and control over public places of business should be strengthened to avoid indulging criminals.