INTRODUCTION
Crime in Indian society is increasing day by day. Rapes, thefts, kidnapping, abduction, murders, extortion and many other different sort of criminal activities prevails in the Indian society which increased at a tremendous rate in the recent times. The graph of these criminal activities is on the rise and there’s not a single reliable sign that it will decrease in the upcoming years. It’s obvious that the life of the individual became very risky, unpleasant and unsafe. Especially for women and old people which is the worst case scenario. However the rate at which it increased no one really feels safe. Crime is something which can be committed at any place and it is irrespective of the gender and religion it can happen at work place while working in offices, while roaming in markets, while walking on roads or any other place. The primary concern of this article shows some of the genuine reasons which played it’s part in the increment in juvenile delinquency. Nowadays juveniles are to be involved in many kinds of heinous crimes like murders and rapes. It’s very disappointed that these kinds of crimes are committed by a person of 16 -18 years of ages. Many experts believed that the present law isn’t adequate to deal with the situations of the society and that is the main reason behind the increment of these activities. It’s very disturbing that a child of age 16 – 18 is involved in these crimes. As we know the youth of any country plays a very much significant role in the development of the society. Youths are considered to be the pillars of a developing nation. But involvement of youth in these activities of leads to the destruction of the youth itself and eventually to the whole nation will collapse.
“Because if the piller would be weak or vulnerable the how could the building will be stand strong and tall”. And youth is the same pillar which provides strength to the nation. For developing nation like India it is very much important that the youth follows the right path in their because they are future of the nation.
Juvenile deliquencies or juveniles conflict with law means that those crimes which are concerned with the wrongful acts committed by the juvenile or by a child. Now the question here is that who is a juvenile.
DEFINITION OF JUVENILE
Section 2(a) of the Act defined the term ‘juvenile’ as a “boy who has not attained the age of 16 years and a girl who has not attained the age of 18 years”.
In simple words a juvenile is a person who have not attained the age of adults (I.e. the age of majority) this signifies that he or she is still considered as childish or immature. And obviously who is under the age of 18.
In terms of law, a juvenile is a person who has not attained the age of eighteen years. It has a legal significance. As per the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2000, a juvenile shall not be treated as an adult even if he/she is involved in any criminal acts for the purpose of trial and punishment in the court of law. This law is often seems incompetent to deal with those heinous crimes which is committed by the juveniles. And they easily escape from their liability and take the defence of being a juvenile. It’s all because of the law. The law is not up to the mark. Which is the genuine reason that juvenile delinquencies increased in the recent times.
RESONS FOR THE CAUSES
Some of the most common causes which are associated with juvenile crimes are: Poverty; Drug Abuse; Anti-social Peer Group; Easy availability of firearms; Abusive parents; Single-parent child; Nuclear Family; Family Violence; Child sexual abuse and Role of Media.
There are many reasons which causes a child be a criminal. In the Indian society there’s a lot of negative aspects which a young teen often acquires while growing up and hence become a criminal. It is undoubtedly true that poverty is the root cause of all the predicaments which takes part in the birth of such heinous crimes. Like murders, rapes and kidnapping, etc.
However there’s a lot more other reasons which contribute their part, in the birth of such crimes.
- Generation gap: In the modern world everybody wants to achieve and acquire life as much as comfortable for their families, for their children and for themselves. Hence, in India in middle class families both the parents work for the betterment of the their families. Hence, the child grows in the vacuum of loneliness and they can’t feel the warmth for their parents. They somehow deprived from the love, care and affection. As a result they try to fill the void of their heart at school or at their surrounding. And they often landed up in the bad company. And from there onwards they acquire many bad habits like smoking, drinking, drug abuse, etc. And grows with anti social peer groups. Another prominent reason is that they don’t want to share their problems with their family members because they think that they can’t understand their problems. Hence the bridge of the gap increases more and more. And the child somehow indulge themselves in criminal activities.
- Pornography: Yes pornography it is something which is hidden yet very obvious that it has a significantly larger number of viewers. India is a country of youths so the viewers of pornography is also huge which is very nature. But excess consumption of it makes a person anti-social and one can easily sense or see it. According to a report the demand of pornography in the western countries is so great that, it has developed into a regular industry. It’s extremely shocking that in America itself this industry has an annual turnover of $ 8 billion. Pornography is the representation of erotic behaviour, as in books, pictures, or films, intended to cause sexual excitement[1]. If a young teen watch porn too often then his sexual drive would hit him hard and eventually it leads to the birth of a brutal crime that is rape. Because he will try to satisfy his desires in reality as well. For his satisfaction he’ll either go to for a prostitute or will commit heinous crime such as rape. Watching porn regularly makes a person an addict of it. And it also degrades the character of a woman in the eye of a person who generally watches porn. So one can say that it’s somehow an anti feminist. India became a huge consumer of pornography just because of the fact that nowadays access to the internet is very easy. Easy accessable internet extended this major problem on a large scale.
- Poverty : The root cause of many problems is poverty. It’s basic that people need money for their support for their survival in this brutal world. They need money to fulfill their basic needs. Like housing, clothing, foods, etc. As we know that the population of India is very large in number so as the people who are under BPL ( Below Poverty Line ). As they are below poverty line they don’t have enough money to feed themselves, their families. They fight everyday for their survival. So to cope up with this the young members of these families often work in a very hazardous place which is very much detrimental for their health or either they choose to opt an alternative way to earn money. Which is the wrong path. As a result they choose the latter one. Because it’s easy for them to get what they want. So they indulge themselves in the criminal activities like thefts, and robberies. They either join some gangs and work just like a team.
- Company: Human being is a social animal he can’t live in a complete isolation.They need company of people who surrounds them and help them whenever there’s a need. A young child learns many things from their families and most importantly from their peers. If the peers of a person is not educated and good enough to act accordingly to the need of the society it can alter the mindset of the young ones very easily. A company is really an important element in someone’s life. It plays a vital role in the development of a person. Hence, it can either make you or break you. If your company is of great personalities then it will enhance your abilities as well and if it’s bad then it has it’s own adverse effects and consequences. Being in school or in college or somewhere else’s a person needs company. According to a report most of the juvenile crime occurs on the account of peer pressure. Which triggers the initial steps towards s crime. A juvenile often make a group and start teasing, bullying others, later on these very kinds become gangsters in their stages of life. Because they grow up in that type of surroundings. Hence, company has a significance role in one’s life. Which is the genuine reason to juvenile be a criminal.
All these are some of the most genuine reasons which plays their part in the increment of juvenile delinquencies. India witnesses some of the most brutal and heinous crimes in the past which are committed by juvenile.
One of the most heinous, brutal and heart breaking case is NIRBHAYA’S CASE.[2]
Which is happened in the night of 16th December 2012 which is considered the darkest day of India society.
The case which shook the entire nation and had finally came to a conclusion after a five-year-long ordeal. Nirbhaya gang rape case was so brutal and heinous that it changed the entire. The way we Indians used to think about the sex crimes was changed drastically after that incident. The perception regarding such criminal activities was entirely charged.
As per the judgement of this case, Supreme Court rejected the plea of the four convicts for challenging the death penalty awarded to them.
Nirbhaya gang rape case was one of the ‘rarest of rare cases’ which was disturbing at so many levels that it’s still etched on our minds.
The matter was heard by the apex court bench headed by Justice DipakMisra and consisting of Justices R Banumathi and Ashok Bhushan.
The four convicts, Akshay, Pawan, Vinay and Mukesh were convicted for raping and brutally torturing 23-year-old paramedic Jyoti Singh on the night of December 16, 2012. A total of six people were convicted, out of which one juvenile was released after a three-year reform facility. The sixth convict, Ram Singh died during the trial.
However this crime was not bearable anyhow and it’s not permissible by any means. Also in this case all the other convicts were punished by the court as much as they could award them punishment. But the matter of concern here is that young boy. Who was just the age 17-year-old when he committed his part in that heart wrenching crime. He could have held liable as same as the other culprits were held. But the question here is that he was under the age of majority ( i.e.18 ). So as a result he was sent to a three-year long reform facility as it was the maximum punishment that could be granted to a minor according to definition of a juvenile. A juvenile shall not be treated as an adult even if he/she is involved in any criminal acts for the purpose of trial and punishment in the court of law.
Hailing from UP, the young rapist left his house when he was just 11. Being the poorest in the village, his mother sent him to Delhi in hopes of earning money as his father couldn’t support the family due to his mental disability. The juvenile has been released and handed over to a facility because of safety issues. There is no record of his existence and has been given a new identity. Giving him new identity signifies that he was considered as a child. Who had committed that crime unknowingly without knowing the consequences. But the question here is, that being a person of just under the age of 18 years. Wouldn’t make him liable for this brutal crime ? That’s a primary concern of this and article. As the face suggest that that he was poor, a single parent child who had a bad company all these reasons were there which made him committing that brutal crime. This clearly indicates that how much a company matters and how family plays a significance role for the proper upbringing of the child.
India is the second largest country in the entire world in terms of population so as it has tremendously large number of youths as well. For the development of the country it’s very much necessary that the youth knows the difference between right and what is wrong.
One of the main reason which played a significant role in the increment of the juvenile crimes is land of the itself. It is a latent reason which is hollowing the society day by day. We know the law is not up to the mark and sometimes it’s also very lenient towards the juvenile crimes. Which triggers the the initial mindset to commit a crime. And they know that they could escape from their liabilities on the under the umbrella of being a juvenile.
Conclusion
Upcoming generations will always thinks that they are one step ahead I terms of knowledge and skills with respect to the previous one in every aspects as compared to their age. As we are moving with a tremendous pace towards everything like for example technology. Technology is also something which plays a vital role in which somehow make a child intolerable these days games like pubg, free fire, etc. However on the other hand TV series like sacred games and mirzapur shows some of the most brutal crimes in such a manner that it instigate a young child in every aspect. A young teen aspires to copy them because it looks too easy on the screen. The scenes were no doubt are fake but which makes a significant impact in one’s mind especially on juveniles. So all these are which played it’s part in increase of juvenile delinquencio in India society.
But the matter of concern here is, that how could a person escapes from his liability because he’s just the under the age of 18. Would it fair to release or acquittal on the ground that he is a minor ? The answer should be a no.
In fact they considered themselves as intelligent they might seem a minor but act like major and think themselves as a major which is somehow the reason which make them a criminal. The reasons which give rise to such kind of activities are already maintained above. But in contrast one of the major and prominent reason which give rise to juvenile delinquencies in India is the law of the land itself. Many experts believes that the law is inadequate.
To cope up with his situation we need to establish more tough laws otherwise in no time the law of jungle will prevail in the society. And each and every person would consider himself as Osama bin Laden and Dawood Ibrahim. Which will demolished the whole society.
[1]MaulanaWahiduddin Khan, Women in between Islam and western society, ( Goodword books, New Delhi, 1995 )
[2]Express Web Desk |° New Delhi |
Updated : May 5, 2017.
