Juvenile crime needs to be handled with a new perspective
In India the Juvenile Justice Act 2000 deals with juvenile crime. It discusses both children in conflict with law, children in need of care and protection. The condition of juvenile correctional homes in our country needs to be improved.
VERY RECENTLY, the incident of a boy molesting and strangling a girl child in one of the high rise apartment in Kolkata hit news headlines. A five year old girl went to play with two of her brother’s friend on the terrace of Turf view, Hastings. Her brother’s friends aged twelve and fourteen molested her and then strangled her to death. After completing the gruesome murder the boys came down to the ground floor of the building and played football.
Few years back in Delhi the sexual act of two students was recorded and then MMS was sent to all their friends. Now-a-days, these incidents don’t make us feel like being hit by a bolt from the blue. It can’t be denied that in recent times there has been an increase in the occurrence of such incidents. Juvenile crime has escalated in recent times.
It is very difficult to analyse the violent behaviour of the juvenile offenders. There can’t be a maiden analysis of what causes an individual juvenile to commit such a heinous task. Such an act is the result of the interaction of multiple personal, social factors like genetically transmitted biological factors, social factors like the breakdown of family etc which govern such an act. The socio-biologists claim that if correct situation arises, especially provocative, then some children with an ability to secrete high levels of testosterone resort to violence or aggression. At times it is an act of momentary sexual excess culminating in violent transgression. The juveniles do get involved in deviant activities in the context of frustration as well as in tempting settings.
Though violence can occur at all societal levels, but it is more prevalent among the lowest echelons of the society. Children, who have been exposed to violent behaviour from childhood at home or have been victim of child abuse or have suffered emotionally stressful conditions in the family during childhood indulge in such activities. They suffer from a feeling of inadequacy, helplessness, deprivation, hence they indulge in such activities to improve their image in the eyes of others exerting power through such deviant act.
On the other hand, as a result of industrialisation, globalisation, joint families have ceased to exist. nuclear families have sprung up, where both the spouses are involved in earning to meet their both ends meet.
It often happens that the juveniles in correctional homes often remain isolated and alienated. It is necessary to discover opportunities for restitution such as community services where offenders are placed in the community for service.
In the United States of America there exists Marine County Juvenile Hall at San Raefel, California manned by the US government officials. This organisation provides educational, vocational, legal help to the juvenile offenders in an integrated manner. The organisation is manned by specialists.
In the year 1993, a sixteen year old boy Sajal Barui had strangled his step mother and stabbed his father and step brother to death. After this incident, he celebrated the successful execution of his plans by having sweets.
It is very difficult to analyse the violent behaviour of the juvenile offenders. There can’t be a maiden analysis of what causes an individual juvenile to commit such a heinous task. Such an act is the result of the interaction of multiple personal, social factors like genetically transmitted biological factors, social factors like the breakdown of family etc which govern such an act. The socio-biologists claim that if correct situation arises, especially provocative, then some children with an ability to secrete high levels of testosterone resort to violence or aggression. At times it is an act of momentary sexual excess culminating in violent transgression. The juveniles do get involved in deviant activities in the context of frustration as well as in tempting settings.
Though violence can occur at all societal levels, but it is more prevalent among the lowest echelons of the society. Children, who have been exposed to violent behaviour from childhood at home or have been victim of child abuse or have suffered emotionally stressful conditions in the family during childhood indulge in such activities. They suffer from a feeling of inadequacy, helplessness, deprivation, hence they indulge in such activities to improve their image in the eyes of others exerting power through such deviant act.
On the other hand, as a result of industrialisation, globalisation, joint families have ceased to exist. nuclear families have sprung up, where both the spouses are involved in earning to meet their both ends meet.
Often it is not possible for the parents to spent adequate and good quality time with their children. A child suffers from isolation. The parents try to compensate their presence by pampering the kids. The children are given huge amounts of pocket money and due to the lack of time, parents fail to monitor how the children use this money. The parents pamper by giving children whatever they want. The children can’t take no for an answer.
Along with this the electronic media and print media have played the role of catalyst by exposing children to sex and violence. The media is full of violence, horror, cruelty, unbridled consumerism and unabashed promiscuity which not only distorts the awareness of the youth but dulls our sensitivity to the problem of human pain and suffering. Along with electronic and print media the social network sites, the Internet all have played their part to expose children to such activities.
It is to be remembered that both childhood and adolescence are important periods in an individual’s life. The childhood is a period of dependency and risk in which supervision is essential for survival. The family is of the primary importance in the supervision of children. In every family there are weak as well as strong parents. Excess of both may lead to fatal consequences. Parenting especially in contemporary times is a difficult task. It is necessary on the part of the parents to understand the growing child and to find ways and means for securing the child’s orderly development in the normal society.
The adolescent period is stressful and has to be handled with care, subtle supervision and maturity. The children need to be taught to be kind, polite, to express camaraderie with their peer groups. They need to learn how to enjoy life out of simple things. They need to learn skills which are useful to them.
Along with this the electronic media and print media have played the role of catalyst by exposing children to sex and violence. The media is full of violence, horror, cruelty, unbridled consumerism and unabashed promiscuity which not only distorts the awareness of the youth but dulls our sensitivity to the problem of human pain and suffering. Along with electronic and print media the social network sites, the Internet all have played their part to expose children to such activities.
It is to be remembered that both childhood and adolescence are important periods in an individual’s life. The childhood is a period of dependency and risk in which supervision is essential for survival. The family is of the primary importance in the supervision of children. In every family there are weak as well as strong parents. Excess of both may lead to fatal consequences. Parenting especially in contemporary times is a difficult task. It is necessary on the part of the parents to understand the growing child and to find ways and means for securing the child’s orderly development in the normal society.
The adolescent period is stressful and has to be handled with care, subtle supervision and maturity. The children need to be taught to be kind, polite, to express camaraderie with their peer groups. They need to learn how to enjoy life out of simple things. They need to learn skills which are useful to them.
Parents should always make an effort to maintain a healthy communication with their children. They should disapprove a violent scene while watching television, then the child will realise that such an act of violence is wrong.
The parents should ask the opinion of their children, which will help them to find out what is going on in their minds. The parents should play an effective role by imbibing not only proper values but try to create awareness of sex related issues to their children right from the growing stage. This can be done through informal interaction.
Sex education should be provided to boys and girls at secondary and post secondary education level. Such education will unveil the myth related to sex and sexuality from the minds of the adolescents. The children must start learning to control impulses at a very early age, the question of how long the process continues until adult levels of behavioural control are achieved is an open one.
Sex education should be provided to boys and girls at secondary and post secondary education level. Such education will unveil the myth related to sex and sexuality from the minds of the adolescents. The children must start learning to control impulses at a very early age, the question of how long the process continues until adult levels of behavioural control are achieved is an open one.
Controlling impulse is a social skill and varies according to a child’s personal attributes like needs, abilty, aspiration and social characteristics like the surrounding circumstances. The day care centers and non-formal educational institutes should be set up for minor /adolescent girls in the slum areas. The educational institutes like schools and colleges should recruit psychologists and psychiatrists who should be involved in counseling students.
In India the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000 deals with juvenile crime. It discusses both children in conflict with law, children in need of care and protection. The condition of juvenile correctional homes in our country needs to be improved. The programme for juvenile offenders must be creative, flexible, oriented towards community. The skills they are taught like carpentry or electrical work are out dated. The decision makers must become more aware of the differences among youthful offenders and the need for specialised programmes and policies to fit characteristics of the offense and the offender. The rehabilitative effort for juvenile should include substance abuse, counseling, violence and gang prevention, AIDS education, specialised programme for juvenile sex offenders and pre-natal health care for pregnant girls.
In India the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000 deals with juvenile crime. It discusses both children in conflict with law, children in need of care and protection. The condition of juvenile correctional homes in our country needs to be improved. The programme for juvenile offenders must be creative, flexible, oriented towards community. The skills they are taught like carpentry or electrical work are out dated. The decision makers must become more aware of the differences among youthful offenders and the need for specialised programmes and policies to fit characteristics of the offense and the offender. The rehabilitative effort for juvenile should include substance abuse, counseling, violence and gang prevention, AIDS education, specialised programme for juvenile sex offenders and pre-natal health care for pregnant girls.
It often happens that the juveniles in correctional homes often remain isolated and alienated. It is necessary to discover opportunities for restitution such as community services where offenders are placed in the community for service.
According to the legal provisions there should be a juvenile police unit comprising of police officers to deal with handling juvenile crime and its prevention. In every police station at least one officer with aptitude and appropriate training and orientation may be designated as the juvenile or the child welfare officer who will handle the juvenile cases.
Though, there exist a designated juvenile police officer in police stations yet due to work pressure (regular and routine law and order duties as well as other police related work) they are often unable to fulfill their designated work with commitment.
In the United States of America there exists Marine County Juvenile Hall at San Raefel, California manned by the US government officials. This organisation provides educational, vocational, legal help to the juvenile offenders in an integrated manner. The organisation is manned by specialists.
Such an idea can be replicated in India. The non-governmental organisations should take a more substantive role by extending their helping hands to the juvenile offenders. They can establish special juvenile centers for rehabilitation of juvenile offenders. They must provide social service to youth with multiple psychological, family, community and legal problems. Both the law enforcement agencies and the civil society should play an active role in re-integrating the juvenile offenders with the society.
Login
 Login through Social ID
|
Not finding what you are looking for? Search here.
