REPORTED CASES IPC CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN IN WEST BENGAL, INDIA: A STUDY WITH RECENT DATA

Abstract

Objective of the study: The present study tries to explore the variation in criminal cases of crimes against children in West Bengal vis-à-vis India during the period 2006 to 2017. Methodology: This is mainly a descriptive study, which uses secondary information collected from the official records of the National Crime Records Bureau from 2006-2017 of India and West Bengal. The present study considers only the crimes against children that are punishable under IPC. Linear regression is carried out to explore the crime against children which is increasing over the years. Findings: The data shows that all sorts of crime against children are increasing over time and that more than 90 percent of crimes against children are committed by known people. Implications: There should be awareness programmes by the Government of India and the respective State Governments to teach the parents and the teachers of schools about how to prepare the children against any move committed against them and how to treat the children if such mis-happenings are already committed. The NGOs and mass medias also have their specific roles in order to stem violence against children. Limitations: Firstly, the study was based on secondary data. Hence, sometimes it was not specific to researcher’s needs. Secondly, National Crime Records Bureau provides history of crime upto 2017 and afterwards no further records regarding crimes were updated. So, the present situation of overall crime against children in India was not known. Key wordsKidnapping, Murder, Rape, Trafficking of girls