Abstract

Children are our nation’s most valuable resource, and everyone has a duty to make sure kids live in a safe environment. Though, in a developing nation like India, the rate of juvenile crime has significantly increased during the last decade. In recent times, Juveniles were found to be involved in most heinous of the crimes such as murder, gang rape etc. Juveniles have got serious forms of delinquent behaviour which may hamper the stability and social command of our society. The National Crime Records Bureaudata reveals a graver concern that there has been a steady increase in the gravity of heinousness and gruesomeness of the crimes committed by juveniles, of late, and almost 30% of them are from the age group of 12 to 16 years. The data on the incidence of juvenile crimes is disturbing if statistics were the only criteria to measure juvenile delinquency in India. The figures from the National Crimes Records Bureau states that across the country, a total of 31,170 cases were registered against juveniles in 2021, showing a 4.7% increase over the year 2020 when 29,768 were registered. What is most disturbingfactor is that a majority of the child 76.2% were in the age group of 16 to 18 years. The crime rate among juveniles had also risen from 6.7% to 7.0%, as per the statistics of National Crime Records Bureau. It is to be noted that as a plant needs protection, nourishment and proper environment to grow into a big fruit - bearing tree, a child also needs protection, promotion, nourishment and proper environment to grow into a useful and responsible citizen. Proper Health, Education and Environment for the children are the imperative needs of the hour. Thus, in this context, this author explores the causes, consequences and interventions related to juvenile delinquency in India and also shed light on the complex dynamics surrounding the juvenile delinquency

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• 2.   For more details see Prakash Haveripet (2013). „Causes and Consequences of Juvenile Delinquency in India, Recent Research in Science and Technology 2013, 5(3), pp 29-31
• 3.   Mulvey, E.P., M.W. Authur and N.D. Reppucci, 1997.The prevention and treatment of juveniledelinquency: A review of the research. Prevent.Researcher, 4: 1-4.
• 4.   Kuanliang, A., J.R. Sorensen and M.D. Cunningham, 2008,‘Juvenile inmates in an adult prison system: Rates of disciplinary misconduct and violence’, Criminal Just. Behav., 35: 1186-1201.
• 5.   Piquero A, Steinberg L. Rehabilitation versus Incarceration of Juvenile Offenders: Public Preferences in Four Models for Change States
• 6.   Ramesh Kumar Bhardwaj, ‘Juvenile Delinquency in India – A Study’, Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Science, Volume 9, Issue 11, 2021, at p. 70
• 7.   Biological problems such as speech and hearing problems, irritation, excessive strength etc. may lead to delinquency
• 8.   Migration on account of wars, terrorism, genocide, ethnic cleansing or natural calamities in home country to a new place puts a person in a precarious condition where he is coerced into crime to fu his basic needs
• 9.   The structure of the family is largely responsible for carving out the personality of the children. A functionay adequate family encourages growth of the child to face reality. Children are emotionay dependent on their parents in their formative years. Delinquents mostly come from functionay inadequate homes. In families, where both parents are working, the child grows up in a vacuum. Some parents have high expectations from children. When the child is unable to meet those expectations or fails to cope up with parental pressure, he is depressed. This may lead to substance abuse. In case of broken homes where either of the parent is dead or living separately, the child feels insecure and is at cross roads.
• 10.   Aseem Prasenjit, ‘An Overview of International Perspective of Juvenile Delinquency Laws’, International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts’, Vol. 11, Issue No. 9, 2023, at p. 917
• 11.   General Assembly Resolution 1386 XIV, was proclaimed by General Assembly of the United Nations on 20th November, 1959.
• 12.   International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966 adopted by the General Assembly General Assembly resolution 2200A (XXI), on 16th December, 1966
• 13.   United Nations Juvenile Justice Standard Minimum Rules were adopted in 1985. Beijing Rules were the ¿rst international legal instruments tospecifychildrights and child development-based juvenile justice standards. The Beijing standards advise states to safeguard children’s rights and needs while creating specialized juvenile justice systems.
• 14.   In 1990, United Nations Guidelines for Juvenile Delinquency Prevention (Riyadh Guidelines) were approved. Recognizing the need to develop national, regional, and international approaches and strategies for the prevention of juvenile delinquency and arming that every child has basichumanrights,including access to free education, and mindful of the large number of young people who may or may not be in conÀict with the lawbut are abandoned, neglected,abused, exposed to drug abuse, and in marginal circumstances and at social risk, its 66 essential principles they should not be socialized or controed.
• 15.   They provides an overview of information received from governments about how juvenile justice is administered in their countries, with a focus on their participation in developing national action plans to promote the efective applicationof international rulesand standards in juvenile justice
• 16.   The Act permitted the court to imprison delinquents in reformatory schools for a period of two to seven years, but not after they reached the age of eighteen
• 17.   Individual provincial governments gained the authority to adopt separate juvenile legislation in their own territories under this Act. Further in various years such as 1920, 1922, and 1924, the Provinces of Madras, Bengal, and Bombay each approved their own Children Acts.
• 18.   This Act made it illegal to imprison children in any scenario and provided for their care, welfare, education, maintenance, protection, and rehabilitation. This Act applies solely to Union Territories. This Act established three tire-related institutions. A residence for observation during court procedures, a children’s home for neglected children, and a special school for delinquent youngsters.
• 19.   On December 30, 2000, the President of India signed the Juvenile Justice Act 2000.
• 20.   Avinash Kumar Sharma, ‘The Path of Juvenile Justice System Development n India – A Hypercritical Study of the Legislations’ , International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, Vol. 10 Issue No. 6, 2022, at p. 149.
• 21.   Under the Act, a child is designed as a person who has not attained the age of eighteen years. It recognizes the principle of reformation and rehabilitation, focusing on the best interests of the child as a paramount consideration in all matters concerning them. The Act establishes a separate juvenile justice system that operates on the principles of child-friendly procedures, non-adversarial approaches, andcondentiality.It aims to provide a conducive environment for the physical, emotional, and social well-being of juveniles in conÁict withthe law.
• 22.   Paranjpe, N. V., ‘Criminology and Penology with Victimology. Allahabad: Central Law Publications’, 2017, at p. 54
• 23.   Babulal Durgad, ‘Juvenile Justice and Rehabilitation System in India, Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research, Vol. 5 Issue No. 10, 2017, at p. 595

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