Chennai: “Systematic data collection, active involvement of the education department and recreation are major areas that need to be addressed for effective implementation of JJ Act- 2015 and PocsoAct – 2012,” said P. Thamarai Kannan, Inspector of General Police (IGP) – Crime at the state level sensitisation workshop held in the city on Saturday. The Tamil Nadu Commission for Protection of Child Rights (TNPCR) organised the event to sensitise the executives of Government of Tamil Nadu in numerous departments including revenue, home, health, rural, labour, education, backward classes, social welfare and social defense.
According to current statistics, in 2016 a total of 2,217 cases are registered against Children In Conflict with Law (CICL) out of which, 440 are from Chennai. It is found that 80 per cent of the accused are aged between 16 to 18 years and most of them are living with their family. Proposing initiatives to reduce the number of cases, Thamarai Kannan said, “The mapping of cases must be done not only through police but by other institutions to get the exact data. Also, systematic data collection which is implemented recently will aid in proper planning and prevention of juvenile crimes.”
He further added that at least 80 per cent of the kids in Tamil Nadu attend some school. So, special programs would be taken up by the schools to sensitise the children and awareness must be spread such that teachers and parents do not neglect the deviant children. Most importantly, he said the government had neglected the area of recreation and suggested that all the homes have proper sports activities.
Chairperson, TNPCR, M.P. Nirmala talking on the challenges facing rehabilitation said that the legislation must be reviewed to change the practices in detention facilities, policies and practiced. This would also ensure that the staff receives proper training. “Awareness must be spread to make the police more child friendly and MSME would design custom made modules to suit the skill sets of the children,” she said. Further, the officials said the Tamil Nadu’s operation Muskan and Smile have been initiated to find the missing children.
