A beginning has been made in tackling juveniles involved in serious crimes.
The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill 2014 gives discretionary powers to juvenile boards to decide if 16-to-18-year-olds in rape and murder cases should be tried separately or in regular courts.
Some safeguards have been built into the proposed law to protect minors, who are increasingly behind such unthinkable crimes.
Even up to a decade ago, while juveniles were caught committing crimes of passion, petty larceny and drug-running, very few were involved in rape or murder.
It’s different today, and this became starkly evident in the December 2012 gangrape horror in New Delhi.
Data gathered by the National Crime Records Bureau shows the rising involvement of juveniles as key perpetrators or associates.
The range of offences to be brought under the new law’s purview, that includes ragging, recruitment of child soldiers, etc is a testament to our changing times.
Safety valves like protection from death sentence and life term are a concession to the sympathy with which our society views juvenile offenders.
But the real question is whether we should treat all acts of juvenile delinquency as serious crimes and lock up youngsters in the same jails as adults, given the stifling atmosphere of our criminal justice system, or should we penalise them more harshly, but within the existing correctional system.
Much needs to be thought over before we go ahead with basic changes. The spirit behind these changes must also be considered before we punish young offenders.
