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PrintArticle:SalientFeaturesofJuvenileJusticeAct,2006
SalientFeaturesofJuvenileJusticeAct,2006
Source:http://www.
Author:schatterjee
Publishedon:February01,2013
JuvenileJusticeLegislationinIndia:
schatterjee'sProfileand
ThefirstcentrallegislationonJuvenileJusticewaspassedin
details
1986,bytheUnionParliament,providingauniformlawon
juvenilejusticefortheentirecountry.Priortothislaweachstate
Shrabana
haditsownenactmentonjuvenilejusticewiththerebeing
differencesinthewayjuvenilesweretreatedbydifferentstate
legalsystems.TheJuvenileJusticeActwasthuspassedto
providecare,protection,treatment,developmentand
ChattopadhyayLL.M.
rehabilitationofneglectedordelinquentjuvenilesandforthe
JamiaMiliaIslamia
settlementofcertainmattersrelatedtoanddispositionof
UniversityDelhi
delinquentjuveniles
Therearecertainguidingprincipleswhichneedtobeadheredtointheadministrationof
juvenilejusticeandtheyformthebasisonwhichtheActandtheRulesareformed.The
juvenilejusticefunctionariesshouldabidebythefollowingfundamentalprinciplesinorderto
understandtheAct,interpretaccordingtothesituationinwhichthechildistakenintocustody
andmostimportantlycontributetobetterandeffectiveimplementationoftheAct.Theyare
basicallydrawnfromallthenationalandinternationalstandardspertainingtochildrenwherein
astrongimpetusisgiventothefulfillmentandprotectionofthechildsrights.Emphasisis
alsolaidonreintegrationofthechildintothefamilysystemtoensurepropercareand
protectionfromallkindsofexploitativesituations
Principlestobefollowedinadministrationoftherules:
Principleofpresumptionofinnocence
Principleofdignityandworth
PrincipleofRighttobeheard:
PrincipleofBestInterest:
Principleoffamilyresponsibility:
PrincipleofSafety(noharm,noabuse,noneglect,noexploitationandnomaltreatment):
Positivemeasurestopromotewellbeingofthechild,reducevulnerabilitiesandaimat
developmentofchildsidentity:
Principleofnonstigmatizingsemantics,decisionsandactions:
Principleofnonwaiverofrights:
Principleofequalityandnondiscrimination:
Principleofrighttoprivacyandconfidentiality:
Principleoflastresort:
Principleofrepatriationandrestoration:
PrincipleofFreshStart
Whentheseprinciplesareadheredtoinletterandspirit,itwouldcertainlyensurethatevery
childwhocomesintocontactwiththeJJSystemisassuredsafety,care,protectionandjustice.
HistoryofJuvenileJusticeLegislationsinIndiasince1986andtheirspecificprovisions:
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1.JuvenileJusticeAct1986
JJActwasenactedinpursuanceoftheBeijingRules1985,priortotheCRC
Definitionofjuvenileorchild16yearsforboysand18yearsforgirls
Childrenwerecategorizedasdelinquentjuvenilesandneglectedjuveniles
BothcategoriesofchildrenwerekeptinanObservationHometogetherpendinginquiry
JuvenileWelfareBoardwasformedtodealwiththeneglectedjuvenilesandtheJuvenile
Courtwastheadjudicatingauthorityforthedelinquentjuvenile
TheneglectedjuvenileswereintheJuvenileHomeandthedelinquentjuvenilestothe
SpecialHome
TheGovernmentofIndiaratifiedtheUnitedNationsConventionontheRightsoftheChildin
1992therebymakingitexpedienttoadheretothestandardsprescribedintheConvention.
Hence,the1986JJActhadtobereviewedandchangeshadtobemadeinordertosecurethe
bestinterestofthechildandfocusonsocialreintegrationofthechildwithoutresortingto
judicialproceedings.
TheJJAct1986wasrepealedandtheJuvenileJustice(CareandProtectionofChildren)Act
2000waspassedtakingintoconsiderationalltheInternationalstandardsprescribedasperthe
ConventionontheRightsoftheChild,theStandardMinimumRulesfortheAdministrationof
JuvenileJustice,1985(BeijingRules),TheUNGuidelinesforthePreventionofJuvenile
DelinquencycalledtheRiyadhGuidelines,1990andtheUnitedNationsRulesforthe
ProtectionofJuvenilesDeprivedoftheirLiberty(1990)
2.TheJuvenileJustice(CareandProtectionofChildren)Act2000
TheTitleoftheActstressesontheneedforcareandprotectiontobothcategoriesof
children
Uniformageforbothboysandgirlsanychildwhohasnotcompletedtheageof18fall
withinthejurisdictionoftheActtocomplywiththeCRCdefinitionofthechild
Separationofchildinneedofcareandprotectionandchildinconflictwithlaw
ConstitutionofChildWelfareCommitteestodealwithchildreninneedofcareand
protectionandJuvenileJusticeBoardstohandlechildreninconflictwithlaw
Thecategoryofchildreninneedofcareandprotectionhasbeenexpandedtoinclude
victimsofarmedconflict,naturalcalamity,civilcommotion,childwhoisfoundvulnerable
andlikelytobeinductedintodrugabuse
Morelegalprotectionassuredforthechildinconflictwithlawdetentiontoberesortedto
asthelastoption,disqualificationofpastrecordsandprivacymaintained
Theinnovationthelawmakeswithrespecttochildreninneedofcareandprotectionisthe
conceptualizationofrestorationofthechildasbeingthefocalpoint,withrestorationbeing
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conceptualizedasrestorationtoparents,adoptedparentsorfosterparents.(Sec39).
Thelawoutlinefouroptionsofrestorationforchildreninchildrenshomesandspecial
homeswhichincludeadoption,fostercare,sponsorshipandaftercare
3.TheJuvenileJustice(CareandProtectionofChildren)AmendmentAct,2006
TheJJAct2000wassubsequentlyamendedandhereafterreferredtoasthePrincipalAct
TheAmendmentActbroughtabout26amendmentswhichareinforce
ThisActformsthelegalsystemandframeworkforthecare,protection,treatmentand
rehabilitationofchildrenofbothcategories
i.TheObjectiveoftheAct:
ToLayDownALegalStructureForTheJuvenileJusticeSystemInTheCountry
ToProvideASpecialApproachToTheProtectionAndTreatmentOfJuveniles
Tooutlinethemachineryandinfrastructurerequiredforthecare,protection,treatment,
developmentandrehabilitationofjuveniles
Toestablishnormsandstandardsforadministrationofjuvenilejustice
Toestablishlinkagesandcoordinationbetweentheformalsystemofjuvenilejusticeand
voluntaryeffortsinthewelfareofjuveniles
Toconstitutespecialoffencesinrelationtojuvenilesandprovidepunishment.
ii.SalientfeaturesofJJA:
1.a.TheActknownasTheReformatoryActdealswithtwocategoriesofchildren,namely
childreninneedofcareandprotectionandchildreninconflictwiththelaw.
b.ThecompetentauthoritytodealwithchildreninneedofcareandprotectionistheChild
WelfareCommitteewhichconstitutesaChairpersonandfourothermembers,oneofwhom
atleastshouldbeawoman.ChapterIVofthisModulewouldfocusindetailaboutChildrenin
needofcareandprotectionandthefunctioningoftheCWCinrehabilitationanddispositionof
cases
c.JuvenileJusticeBoard(JJB)isthecompetentauthoritytodealwithchildreninconflictwith
lawwhichcomprisesofthreemembers.TheChairpersonoftheBoardshouldbeaFirstClass
JudicialMagistrateandtwohonorarysocialworkersoutofwhomatleastoneshouldbea
woman.Specialprovisionsforchildreninconflictwithlawandtheresponsibilitiesofthe
BoardarediscussedindetailinChapterIIIofthisModule.
2.TheActprovidesfortheestablishmentofvariouskindsofInstitutionssuchas
ChildrensHomeforthereceptionofchildinneedofcareandprotection.
SpecialHomesforthereceptionofchildinconflictwithlaw
ObservationHomeswhicharemeantforthetemporaryreceptionofchildrenduringthe
pendencyofanyinquiry.
AftercareOrganizationswhicharemeantforthepurposeoftakingcareofchildrenafter
theyhavebeendischargedfromChildrensHomeorSpecialHomes.
3.AfewsectionsintheAct(Sec2326)arefocusedontheoffencescommittedbyanyone
againstachildsuchasassault,causingmentalorphysicalsufferingandemploymentofachild
whichareconsideredasnonbailableoffences.
iii.RulesundertheJuvenileJustice(CareandProtectionofChildren)Act2000(56of
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2000)andtheAmendmentAct33of2006):
TheMinistryofWomenandChildDevelopmentatNewDelhi,the26thdayofOctober,
2007notifiedtheModelRulesundertheJuvenileJustice(CareandProtectionofChildren)
Act2000andtheAmendmentAct2006tobeadministeredbytheStatesforbetter
implementationandadministrationoftheprovisionsoftheActinitstruespiritandsubstance.
TheserulescalledtheJuvenileJustice(CareandProtectionofChildren)Rules,2007hascome
intoforceonthedateofitspublicationintheOfficialGazetteandtheseRuleswillbe
conformedtountiltheconcernedStateGovernmentformulatesRulesspecificfortheState
witheffecttoimplementationoftheJJAct.
TheActinSection68prescribesvariousareaswhereintheRulescanbeappliedtoforbetter
implementationoftheAct,specificallywithmanagementofthehomes,standardstobe
adheredto,rolesandresponsibilitiesoftheJJfunctionaries,proceduresandfunctioningofthe
competentauthorities,rehabilitationmechanismandoperationofJJFund.
ItisrecommendedthattheActisimplementedinlinewiththeRulestopromotebetter
understandingoftheActinordertobenefitthechildrenwhocomeincontactwiththeJJ
System.
Theauthorcanbereachedat:krishnaa@legalserviceindia.com
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