“There is no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children. There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, that their welfare protected, and their lives are free from fear and want and that they grow up in peace.” -Kofi A. Annan Children are considered to be gifts from god and greatest national asset and resource. They constitute over 400 million of the one billion plus population of India. It is indeed an important factor in shaping the future of the nation if childhood can be endowed with the maximum requisites for healthy growth and development. …show more content…
When a juvenile below an age specified under a statute exhibits behavior which may prove to be dangerous to society he may be called a Juvenile Delinquent. Juvenile delinquency refers to the antisocial or criminal activity of the child which violates the law. As per the statistics released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), juvenile criminals between 16 and 18 years accounted for more than 60% of the crimes registered against minors in India in 2013. The issue of how juveniles should be punished has come to the fore especially because of two cases that came to the limelight; the 2012 rape case in Delhi and the Shakti Mills rape case. Shockingly, in both the cases, one of the main accused was a juvenile. Act of Delinquency may include: running away from home without the permission of parents, habitual behavior beyond the control of parents, use of vulgar language, wandering about railroads, streets market places, visiting gambling centers, committing sexual offences, shop–lifting, stealing etc.
CAUSES OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY Studies indicate that juvenile delinquency is a result of the interactions of contextual, individual and situational factors. Some of them are:-
• Adolescence instability
• Uncongenial