Context
Recent international and domestic incidents have raised concerns over the steep increase in violent crimes committed by juveniles in India. Multiple reasons support such crimes, which we will see in this article.
Rising Trend
(a) Overall decline but growing violence: The total number of juveniles in conflict with the law declined from 37,402 in 2017 to 33,261 in 2022. However, the share involved in violent crimes surged from 32.5% in 2016 to 49.5% in 2022 (NCRB, 2023).
(b) Nature of violent crimes: These include murder, rape, grievous hurt, assault, arson, robbery, and dacoity. Crimes that are not violent, like theft or cheating, were removed from this category.
(c) Geographic distribution: Madhya Pradesh accounted for 20% of all such cases between 2017 and 2022, followed by Maharashtra (18%), Rajasthan (9.6%), Chhattisgarh (8.4%), Tamil Nadu (5%), and Delhi (6.8%).
(d) Hotspot Regions: Central and Eastern India emerge as hotbeds of juvenile violence, barring exceptions like Odisha, where only 10% of juvenile crimes were violent.
Contributing factors
(i) Digital exposure: Rise in incel subculture, cyberslavery and digital arrest, and exposure to violent content, particularly among adolescent boys.
(ii) Excessive social media use can increase aggression, intolerance, and emulation of violent behaviour, and eliminate empathy.
(iii) Familial and social neglect: Inadequate emotional support and patronage during adolescence, a sensitive and critical development stage.
(iv) Poverty and unemployment: Children from economically weaker sections often lack access to quality education and employment opportunities. Pressure from mates in informal settings nudges youth towards bad groupings or criminal gangs.
(v) Substance abuse: Easy accessibility and availability of alcohol, drugs, and inhalants give strength to impulsive and aggressive behaviour.
Initiatives of India
(i) Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015: Allows juveniles aged sixteen-eighteen years to be treated as adults for grave crimes after assessment by the Juvenile Justice Board. More emphasis on rehabilitation and again integrating them through child-friendly procedures.
(ii) Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS): Centrally sponsored scheme providing institutional and non-institutional care, emphasising the prevention of child offences, counselling, and family reintegration.
(iii) Digital Literacy and Cyber Safety Campaigns: Conducted by CBSE, NCERT, and the Ministry of Education to combat online grooming, cyber threats, and digital addiction among them.
What are the Challenges?
(i) Ineffective policy implementation: despite of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, there are chasms in rehabilitation, counselling, and monitoring mechanisms. Excessive burden as well as resource-deficient Juvenile Justice Boards(JJB) and Child Welfare Committees.
(ii) Stigmatisation and sustained social exclusion of young offenders post-incarceration.
(iii) Inadequate gender-specific data and interventions, specifically concerning girls involved in or victims of juvenile crimes.
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Way forward
(i) Strengthen Early Intervention: Compulsory psychosocial support systems in every environment where they reside and spend most of the time. For eg- schools.
(ii) Reform Juvenile Justice System: Enhance fiscal stimulus and training for Juvenile Justice Boards and CWCs. Ensure personalised rehabilitation plans with psychological health services, skilling, and family counselling too.
(iii) Community-Based Rehabilitation: Involve regional NGOs, community leaders, and a youth guide. Give more emphasis on restorative justice approaches that prioritise repairing harm and reintegration against punishment.
(iv) Regulate Digital Spaces: Formulate and implement age-specific content policies and foster digital literacy among adolescents.
(v) Data-Driven Policy Making: Categorise data by age, gender, region, as well as the kind of offence, to make interventions.
Conclusion
The consistent rise in violent crimes committed by juveniles in India shows deeper sociological, psychological, and systemic failures and flaws. For sure, stringent laws alone cannot solve the issue, so a comprehensive approach giving attention to prevention, rehabilitation, education, and community engagement is in need at any cost.