Delays, lapses mar juvenile justice law’s functioning: Report

India’s juvenile justice law promises quick hearings, rehabilitative environments and strong oversight.

- Sreedev Krishnakumar

The “Juvenile Justice and Children in Conflict with the Law: A Study of Capacity at the Frontlines” report released on November 20 by the India Justice Report, a collaborative effort of multiple nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) shows how far the system remains from that goal.

The IJR report notes that 9,907 children were in residential facilities in 2022-23. 8,241 or 83% of these children were in Observation Homes, which house children while an enquiry in their case is pending. Only 389 were in Special Homes meant for longer term care of those found to have committed an offence. Another 496 were in Observation-cum-Special Homes, and 781 were in Places of Safety for children aged 16 to 18 who are accused of or have been found to have committed a heinous offence. Fourteen states had no Place of Safety, many states lacked a full set of facilities, and only 40 homes for girls existed across 292 districts that provided data.