Short Essay on Juvenile Justice – A child’s brain is markedly different from that of an adult, much less developed and much more innocent in thinking.
To hold a child as guilty as an adult despite the offence being similar would, therefore, be unjust because a child cannot be assumed to have understood the nature and consequences of his or her action as much as an adult.
This explains why the process and punishment applicable to a person below eighteen years of age is different and milder.
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The law pertaining to the juveniles aims at reforming them and putting them back in to the mainstream society so that they could lead a normal life of responsible citizens instead of turning into hardened criminals.
Therefore, in order to give a separate treatment to the Juveniles in conflict with law Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act was enacted by Government of India in 2000.
This law provides for their proper care, protection and treatment by catering to their developmental needs and by adopting a child-friendly approach in the adjudication.
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This law also provides for the rehabilitation of such juveniles through various institutions. However, despite the law being there, its objectives are still far from met due to the unsatisfactory approach of the authorities in implementing it.