EVOLUTION OF JUVENILE JUSTICE LAWS IN INDIA: FROM THE JUVENILE JUSTICE ACT, 2000 TO CARE AND PROTECTION OF CHILDREN ACT, 2015

AUTHOR – NITISH SHAKYA* & ASTHA SRIVASTAVA**

* STUDENT AT AMITY UNIVERSITY UTTAR PRADESH AMITY LAW SCHOOL LUCKNOW     

** ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT AMITY UNIVERSITY UTTAR PRADESH AMITY LAW SCHOOL LUCKNOW

BEST CITATION – NITISH SHAKYA & ASTHA SRIVASTAVA, EVOLUTION OF JUVENILE JUSTICE LAWS IN INDIA: FROM THE JUVENILE JUSTICE ACT, 2000 TO CARE AND PROTECTION OF CHILDREN ACT, 2015, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (7) OF 2025, PG. 110-117, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344

Abstract

In response to growing concerns over major juvenile offences, India’s Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 substantially revised laws passed in the year 2000. As a result of this change in the law, the courts may now try juveniles (those between the ages of 16 and 18) for serious offences as adults. In addition, it improves protections for children in risky situations, establishes specialised courts, and fortifies rehabilitative frameworks. Prioritising the well-being of juveniles, this act aims to strike a careful balance between rehabilitative measures and the enforcement of accountability. Sceptics of the Act have raised concerns about possible negative consequences, such as the stigmatisation of juvenile offenders, and the Act’s effectiveness in reducing juvenile delinquency has sparked heated discussion. In the end, this law is a reflection of India’s changing view of juvenile justice, which aims to balance the need for public safety with the preservation of children’s fundamental rights.