Child In Conflict With Law Under Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act 2015.pdf

Children are one of the most valued assets of the future generation who are required to be protected. Recently, there is an unprecedented increase in the juvenile crime rate. This is due to many changes such as behavioral change, lack of education, subjugation, upbringing environment, harassment, lack of parental care, sexual indulgence, violent treatment, poverty, and the advent of modern lifestyle. Shrewd criminals indulge children in criminal activities especially, the ones between 6-12 years because at this point minds are innocent and can be easily manipulated as well as lure them to the world of crime. However, children below 7 years of age cannot be held criminally responsible for an offence because of a lack of understandability and are known as “Doli Incapax Maxim”.

1. Child In Conflict With Law Under Juvenile
Justice (Care and Protection) Act 2015
03 February, 2023
Introduction
Childrenareoneofthemostvaluedassetsofthefuturegenerationwhoarerequiredtobe
protected.Recently,thereisanunprecedentedincreaseinthejuvenilecrimerate.Thisisdueto
manychangessuchasbehavioralchange,lackofeducation,subjugation,upbringing
environment,harassment,lackofparentalcare,sexualindulgence,violenttreatment,poverty,and
theadventofmodernlifestyle.Shrewdcriminalsindulgechildrenincriminalactivitiesespecially,
theonesbetween6-12yearsbecauseatthispointmindsareinnocentandcanbeeasily
manipulatedaswellaslurethemtotheworldofcrime.However,childrenbelow7yearsofage
cannotbeheldcriminallyresponsibleforanoffencebecauseofalackofunderstandabilityand
are known as “Doli Incapax Maxim”.
Juvenile Justice Act and Amendment
Intheyear1986,JuvenileJustice(JJ)ActwasenactedbyIndiatoprovideprotection,
development,care,treatment,andrehabilitationofdelinquentjuveniles.TheActwasalso
responsiblefortheadjudicationofcertainmattersregardingneglectedjuveniles.Followingthis,
theUnitedNationsgeneralassemblyadoptedaconventionthatprimarilydealswiththerightsof
achildin1989.Themainfocusoftheconventionwasoncherishingandupholdingtherightof
thechildtoreintegrateintosociety.Todoso,therewasarequirementtoupgradetheexisting
law.Indiasignedandratified theUNCRC(UNConventionontheRightsoftheChild)in1992
whichrepealedtheearlierJJActof1986.Therefore,theJuvenileJustice(CareandProtectionof
Children)Actof2000wasintroducedtosecuretheinterestofjuveniles.TheroleofNGOswas
oneofthemostsignificant changesaddressedwiththe2000amendmentoftheJJAct.Under
Sections8,9,34,37,and45ofthisAct,theNGOsorotherorganizationswerecertifiedto
maintain homes.
Inthelightofthe2012Delhigangrapeandmurdercase(Mukesh&Anr.vs.StateforNCTof
Delhi&Ors.),thejuvenileaccusedwassentencedtothreeyearsinareformationhomeunderthe
provisionsoftheJJAct,2000.FollowingtheSupremeCourtverdictupholdingtheconstitutional
validityoftheAct,theDelhiHighCourtrefusedtoextendthesentenceoftheaccusedin
December2015.Thisresultsinafailureofjusticeandahugeprotestbythemassesalongwith
thevictim’sfamily.Consideringthis,theJuvenileJustice(CareandProtectionofChildren)Bill,
2014wasdeliveredbythegovernmentandcameintoexistenceastheJuvenileJustice(Care
andProtectionofChildren)Act,2015.ThisAmendmentintroducedvariouschangestothe
existingJJAct,reforminglawsandmakingamoreresponsivejuvenilejusticesystem.TheActis
mainlyfocusedtoholdthechildaccusedofacrimeaccountablethroughcounselingratherthan
punishment. Some of the features identified thr ough this Act include:

2. ●Orphaned,abandoned,andsurrenderedchildrenweredefined aftertheenactmentofthis
Act.
●MoreclarityonthepowersandfunctionsoftheChildWelfareCommissionandJuvenile
Justice Board.
●TheActdefined thecrimesoroffencesintothreecategories,petty(maximum3yearsof
imprisonment),serious(imprisonmentof3to7years),andheinous(maximum7yearsof
imprisonment).
●Appropriate system to adopt orphaned, abandoned, and surrendered children.
●Mandatory registration of childcare institutions.
●In case of heinous crimes, minors of the age group 16-18 years are treated as adults.
●Distinguishbetweenchildreninneedofcareandprotectionandchildreninconflict with
the law.
Followingthis,differentpolicies,organizations,andActsforchildwelfareemergedwhichinclude
theNationalChildLaborScheme,theNationalCommissionfortheProtectionofChildRights,the
UnitedNationsConventionontheRightsoftheChild(UNCRC),ChildLabor(Protectionand
Regulation)Act,ProtectionofChildrenfromSexualOffencesAct(POCSO),andthePOCSO
Amendment Act 2019.
Recently,theJuvenileJustice(CareandProtectionofChildren)AmendmentBill,2021was
passedbytheLokSabhathatensuresthestrengtheningofprovisionsforadoptingand
protectingchildren.Itwasanalyzedthatvariousadoptioncaseswerependingbecausethefinal
issuanceoftheadoptionorderwasdeliveredbythecivilcourt;therefore,the2021Amendment
stated that the District Magistrate will issue adoption orders instead of the civil court.
Juvenile Justice Board
JuvenileJusticeBoardisajudiciarybodyoraconcernedauthoritywithaprimarymotivetodeal
withjuvenilesdetainedoraccusedofacrime(Childreninconflict withLaw).Itactsasaseparate
courtforjuvenilesaccusedofpetty,serious,orheinouscrimesastheycannotbetakentoa
regularcriminalcourt.Themainresponsibilityoftheboardistoprovidecare,treatment,
protection,developmentalneeds,inquiry,andfinalorderfortheultimaterehabilitationof
juveniles in conflict with the law .
JJBconsistsofaChiefJudicialMagistrateorMetropolitanMagistrate(experienceofatleast3
-years)andtwosocialworkers,providedthatatleastoneofthemshouldbeawoman.TheBoard
ensurestokeeptheaccusedjuvenile’sparentsorguardiansinformedateverystepofthe
process.Also,theyensurethatalltherightsofthechildareprotectedaswellaslegalaidvia
legalserviceinstitutionsshouldbemadeavailableforjuveniles.Inshort,JJBplaysasignificant
roleinprotecting,monitoring,andcontrollingeveryprocessinvolvedininvestigatingajuvenilein
conflict with the law.
Effect of IPC and CrPC on Juvenile Justice
IndianPenalCode(IPC)andtheCodeofCriminalProcedure(CrPC)playanimportantrolein
decidingthecasesrelatedtojuvenilecrimesbyimplementingdifferentsectionsofCriminallaw.
IPCdealswithbothadultandjuvenileoffencesaswellasdemarcatesthepunishmentbasedon
age.AsperSection82ofIPC,“Nothingisanoffencewhichisdonebyachildundersevenyears
ofage.”Thismeansthatanythingperformedbyanindividualwhoseageisunder7yearsisnot

3. addressedasanoffence.AccordingtoSection83ofIPC,“Nothingisanoffencewhichisdoneby
achildwhoisabovesevenyearsofageandundertheageof12whohasnotattainedsufficient
maturity to understand the consequences of their actions.”
CrPCdiscussesthejurisdictionofjuvenileswiththehelpofdifferentSectionsincludingSections
27and437.AccordingtoSection27ofCrPC,anyoffencecommittedbyapersonwhoisbelow
theageof16andwhosepunishmentdoesnotincludedeathorimprisonmentwillbedealtwith
bythelawwhichprovidestreatment,training,impartinggoodsocialvalues,andrehabilitationof
convicted minors.
Can a Juvenile be tried as an adult?
AspertheJJActof2015,juvenilesundertheagegroupof16to18yearsareallowedtobetried
asanadultiftheyareaccusedofaheinouscrimewhichisdonebyputtingthemontrialunder
thecriminaljusticesystem.Accordingtothelaw,aheinouscrimeisdefined asanoffencethatis
punishablewithmorethansevenyearsofimprisonment.Anoffencemayincluderape,waging
waragainstthegovernment,murder,robbery,humantrafficking,acidattacks,drugtrafficking,
and various others.
TheActallowsjuvenileoffenderstobetriedasadultsonlyaftertheBoardalongwith
psychologists,psycho-socialworkersorothershasassessedthemoncertainfactorssuchas
thejuvenile’scapabilitytocommitamurder,circumstancesinwhichthemurderwascommitted,
andanoffender’sabilitytounderstandtheconsequencesofanoffence.Itistheresponsibilityof
theJJBoardtocompletetheassessmentwithinthreemonths.Afterthis,theycantransferthe
juvenileoffendertotheChildren’sCourtifhecommittedthecrimewithknowledgeofthe
consequencesoftheoffence.Further,theChildren’sCourtwilldeterminewhethertheoffenderis
tobetriedasanadultundertheprovisionsofCrPC(CodeofCriminalProcedure).Itistheir
responsibilitytomakesurethatordersarepassedunderconsiderationoffairtrialanda
child-friendlyenvironment.ThefirstproductionofajuvenileisperformedbytheBoardinformof
a“FirstSummaryInquiry”anddifferentordersarepassedincluding,disposeofthecase,
juvenile’stransfertoChildWelfareCentre,thereleaseofjuvenileonbailunderthesupervisionof
probation officers and detain the juv enile in an Observation Home.
Determination of age
AccordingtotheprovisionsoftheJuvenileJusticeAct,whenanindividual(whoappearstobea
juvenile)ispresentedbeforetheJJB,itistheresponsibilityoftheBoardtoinquireandconfirm
the age of the person. This is done by following some points which are discussed below:
●Individualswhohavenotcompletedtheageof18yearsduringthedateofcommitted
offence are treated as “Juvenile in Conflict with Law”.
●The process of age determination should be completed within a time period of 30 days.
●Juvenilityofapersonisdecidedonthebasisofphysicalappearanceanddocumentsby
the Board and is sent to Jail or Observation Home.
●Matriculationcertificate,dateofbirthcertificatefromschool,andbirthcertificateby
MunicipalAuthority,Corporation,orPanchayatareusedasevidenceininquiringabout
age by the Board.
●If these documents are not available then Medical Board’s opinion is considered.

4. IntheStateofJammu&Kashmir(nowU.T.ofJammu&Kashmir)&Ors.vs.ShubamSangra
case,aquestionwasansweredbytheSupremeCourtbench,“Whethertherespondentwasa
juvenileonthedateofcommissionoftheoffence?”Here,aSpecialMedicalBoardcomprising
fivedoctorswasestablishedtoexaminetheageoftherespondentwhourgedtobeajuvenile.
ThisBoardwasintroducedbecauseofthecontradictionofbirthdatesontherespondent’sbirth
certificateandschoolcertificate.ThereportpresentedbytheMedicalBoardstatedthatthe
respondentwasnotajuvenileatthetimeofthecommissioningofthecrime;therefore,thecase
was sent back to the High Court for further proceeding, “Juvenile to be tried as an adult”.
Rights of Juvenile offenders
Whenajuvenileistriedforcrimes,somebasicrightsareprovidedtothemwhicharelistedas
follows:
●Righttocross-examinewitnesses,Righttoremainsilent,Righttoatranscriptofatrial,
Righttohavenojuriesinjuvenilecases,Righttohavealawyer,Righttoprovideevidence
tosupporttheirowncase,Righttoanappeal,Righttohaveparentsorguardianspresent
at hearings, and Right to have fair and speedy trials.
●Moreover,anychildwhoisconvictedofanycrimecanrequestordemandanticipatory
bailwhichismaintainableintheHighCourtaswellastheCourtofSession,accordingto
Section 437 of CrPC.
●AspertheJJActof2000,hearingofcasesviaJuvenileJusticeBoard,Bailprovisions,no
imprisonment,removalofdisqualification attachedtoconviction,andnojointproceeding
ofnon-juvenileandjuvenilearesomeoftherightsprovidedtothejuveniletoensurethat
they are not treated like hardened criminals.
Conclusion
JuvenileJustice(CareandProtection)Actisaimedtoreducecrimesoroffencescommittedby
Childrenwholiebetweentheagegroupof16-18years.Juvenileoffencesareincreasingata
greaterpacebecauseofcertainchangesintheirbehaviorduetolackofeducation,lackof
parentalcare,andvariousothers.ThisActprovidesvariousrightstoprotectthejuvenilesand
help them to enjoy legal remedies as mentioned above.