POLICE DEVIANCE: STRUCTURES OF LEGAL RESTRAINT ON POLICE FOWERS IN INDIA
AUTHOR: Y.JECINTHA BENADICTA, LLM SCHOLAR AT THE CENTRAL LAW COLLEGE, SALEM
BEST CITATION – Y.JECINTHA BENADICTA, POLICE DEVIANCE: STRUCTURES OF LEGAL RESTRAINT ON POLICE FOWERS IN INDIA, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (1) OF 2025, PG. 46-63, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.
INTRODUCTION:
The police, as one of the actors in the criminal justice system, must play an important role in maintaining peace and enforcing law and order in their territory. Its main function is to protect people’s life and property and to protect them from violence, threats, abuse and trouble. So police work has played an important role in the criminal justice system, and it has changed dramatically every day. Today’s police officers must protect people from physical harm, save lives, control traffic and maintain law and order in the streets and public spaces. There is also clear action to prevent crime and violence from children to women and children.[1] Police deviance occurs when law enforcement officers behave in a manner that is ―inconsistent with the officer’s legal authority, organizational authority, and standards of ethical conduct[2] Article 21[3] of the Constitution of India gives hope to the lives of prisoners, under trial and accused persons. These citizens deserve to be treated humanely and legally. In the case of Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India AIR 1978 SC 597, the Supreme Court held that the State and the police as the main law enforcement agency have an inalienable duty to bring criminals to justice. However, the law and the measures taken by the government to achieve this social goal should be in line with international norms. Therefore, the procedure implemented by the authorities should be fair, just and fair.[4]
[1] Vijaya Sampat Anandi Jagtap, ―The Police Their Deviances with Special Reference to Some of the Crimes, University, 2010, https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in:8443/jspui/handle/10603/535131.
[2] Deviance Notes – Unit – III POLICE DEVIANCE Police Indian Police Act, 1861 Enacted by British Still – Studocu,‖ accessed October 11, 2024, https://www.studocu.com/in/document/karnataka-state-law- university/llm/deviance-notes/91367211.
[3] Constitution of India| National Portal of India,‖ accessed October 11, 2024, https://www.india.gov.in/my- government/constitution-india.
[4] Maneka Gandhi vs Union Of India on 25 January, 1978,‖ accessed October 11, 2024, https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1766147/.