The Evolving Landscape of Juvenile Justice: A Comprehensive Examination of Policies, Practices, and Reform Initiatives

Abstract

The juvenile justice system in India is designed to provide care, protection, and rehabilitation to children in conflict with the law. The system is guided by the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, which aims to create a child-friendly justice system that is in line with the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Despite the existence of this legal framework, the efficacy of the juvenile justice system in India has been the subject of much debate. One of the main criticisms of the system is that it is often ineffective in rehabilitating juvenile offenders and preventing them from reoffending. Despite these challenges, there have also been positive developments in the juvenile justice system in India. For example, the system has started to focus more on restorative justice and diversion programs, which aim to address the root causes of juvenile delinquency and provide support to young people to help them avoid criminal behavior. The Juvenile Justice System is the most dynamic and irradiated framework embraced by the world which deals with all-round development of children. The chief centre is to give consideration to the unprotected children. To the extent practicable, a child is to be rehabilitated and re-established to the family. This project is going to assess the Juvenile Justice System in India in the light of protected reasoning and international parameters along with some of the landmark cases of which the Juvenile Justice Act had to take its course into being defined as an Act of its own. The concept of juvenile justice was derived from a belief that the problems of juvenile delinquency and youth in abnormal situations are not amenable to resolution within the framework of the traditional process of criminal law.