Report titled ‘Juvenile Justice and Children in Conflict with Law’ evaluates the functioning and capacity of the Indian juvenile justice system ten years after the enactment of Juvenile Justice Act 2015.
- India Justice Report is a biennial quantitative index that uses government data to assess and rank the justice system capacity of all Indian states and UTs.
Key Highlights of the Report
- Inconsistent Juvenile Justice Board (JJB): As of 2023-2024, there were 707 JJBs across 765 districts. Only 18 states and Jammu & Kashmir had a JJB in every district.
- Rising Case Backlogs in JJBs: Only 45% of cases were disposed of during Nov 2022–Oct 2023.
- High institutionalisation in Observation Homes: ~83% of total children in custodial facilities were in Observation Homes, reflecting prolonged pendency of enquiries.
- Inadequate Infrastructure & Coverage: 14 states lacked a Place of Safety for Children.
- Nationally, there are 319 Observation Homes, 41 Special Homes, and 40 Places of Safety.
Recommendations
- Strengthen JJB Capacity: Ensure existing institutions can function with adequate personnel in key positions such as judges, superintendents, etc.
- Leverage technology to enhance efficiency: By adopting digital case management systems, centralising databases across police, courts, child-care institutions etc.
- Prioritize Training as force multiplier: Create structured, competency-based programmes that bring together police, JJBs, probation officers, lawyers, etc.
- Conduct periodic independent evaluations: Ensure regular independent audits by academic and civil society bodies, under Section 55 of the JJ Act to improve performance.
About Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015
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