State-level conclaves can help check juvenile crimes: Justice Lokur

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Nov 27: Supreme Court of India judge Justice Madan B Lokur viwed that if state-level conclaves like the one held in Assam are followed by other states they can check juvenile crimes to a great extent.

Justice Lokur took part in the two- day ‘third round-table conference: Northeastern states and Sikkim on Effective implementation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and protection of Children) Act 2015: Focus on Rehabilitation Services and Linkages with the Pocso Act, 2012’ that concluded today in the city.

Lokur said that the Northeastern states have done comparatively better than what they did in the past in so far as the rehabilitation of juveniles is concerned. “Institutiolization plays an important role in rehabilitation. We have to study further and strive for better advice in this area. Child labour has been checked comparatively but sexual offences are still a mece in the society. Rehabilitation of offender is more serious than the victim,” Lokur said.

Justice Lokur raised his concern on Child Care Institutions saying that many of them are running without registration “One has no idea how many private child care institutions are running in India and about the activities they have in those institutions. No one knows about the manpower and how many children are there in those institutions. There are also instances where a single institution has only four to five members and have up to 200 children. There had been allegation of trafficking against such institutions in the past,” he said.

Justice Lokur pointed out that the efforts of research in ground levels can also help check juvenile crimes. “Research can help in adding additiol efforts and shedding the unnecessary ones. Documentation of such research could be sent to the higher authorities like JJB’s, legislators etc., which can in turn help in chalking out plans. In course of discussion issues should be tried to be addressed,” he said.

“State Government also plays a vital role so far as strengthening the organizations which are associated with Child rights and care in the states. Idequate funds and manpower can make such organizations dysfunctiol. The state governments have been doing commendable job comparatively so far as addressing child issues is concerned,” Justice Lokur said.

“Better behaviour from the police can be expected in the process. There are also instances where a convicted juvenile is often filed as an adult when cases are filed. In this way the psychology of the juvenile become paralysed forever,” he added.