Protecting young from crimes

Juveniles involved in crimes are not criminals and in fact, they are victims of society, the a top Court of a state recently underlined and rightly so.

The JJ Rules provide that a juvenile in conflict with the law need not be apprehended except in serious offences entailing adult punishment of over seven years.

As defined under Section 2 (l3) of the Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act, 2015, “Child in Conflict with Law” is the one who is alleged or found to have committed an offence and has not completed eighteen years of age on the date of commission of such offence.

As soon as a juvenile in conflict with the law is apprehended, the police is required to inform the designated Child/Juvenile Welfare Officer, the parents/guardian of the juvenile, and the concerned Probation Officer (for the purpose of the social background report). The juvenile so apprehended, as per the Rules, is to be placed in the charge of the Welfare Officer whose duty is to produce the juvenile before the Board within 24 hours. The law and rules are there for the welfare of the juveniles and to save them from being looked at or treated as criminals. Unfortunately of late, there has been an increase in both crimes done by the juveniles as well as crimes against them. According to the NCRB data, crimes executed by children in conflict with law increased by almost 50% in Jammu and Kashmir in 2021 as compared with 2020.

There were at least 323 cognisable criminal cases involving juveniles in conflict with law in 2021 as against 171 in 2020. The cases by them in 2019 were 299 but an apparent decrease in 2020 has a lot to do with the restrictions due covid-19 pandemic which had a debilitating effect on economy and other parameters of life.

Regarding the crimes against children, the NCRB report said 470 cases were registered in 2019, 606 in 2020 and 845 in 2021.

The data on both counts calls for need for correction as well as preventive measures. It is imperative that the environment provided to the juveniles is looked into by all, more so by the parents. If the juveniles get into bad company or an unfriendly environment, they tend to be involved in crimes and as such parents should keep watch and that too seriously. As far as the crimes against them goes, the law enforcing agencies act with all firmness.

 

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