REDEFINING JUVENILE JUSTICE: MORE ACCOUNTABLE AND REFORMATIVE SYSTEM FOCUSED ON YOUNG OFFENDERS

AUTHORS – PROF.T. MURUGESH* & PROF.S. KALIRAJ**

* ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, GOVERNMENT LAW COLLEGE, TIRUCHIRAPALLI, TAMIL NADU- 620023.

** ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, GOVERNMENT LAW COLLEGE, COIMBATORE, TAMIL NADU- 641046.

BEST CITATION – PROF.T. MURUGESH & PROF.S. KALIRAJ, REDEFINING JUVENILE JUSTICE: MORE ACCOUNTABLE AND REFORMATIVE SYSTEM FOCUSED ON YOUNG OFFENDERS, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 4 (1) OF 2024, PG. 1429-1435, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the necessity and effectiveness of paying special attention to juveniles aged between 16 and 18 years to increase their accountability for offences committed while concurrently enhancing their rehabilitation. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 marked a pivotal shift in how juvenile offenders are treated for heinous offences, aligning their accountability more closely with adult criminal justice proceedings. However, this amendment overlooked serious and petty offences, maintaining a lenient stance that arguably fails to address the complexities of juvenile delinquency adequately. With growing cases of delinquency and its long-term societal impacts, there is a pressing need to re-evaluate the justice system’s approach to this demographic.

The proposed recommendations aim to strike a delicate balance between accountability and rehabilitation. Furthermore, this paper advocates the implementation of specialized legislation aimed at increased accountability and explores the potential benefits of early intervention and targeted rehabilitation efforts in reducing recidivism rates among juvenile offenders. The expected outcomes of these recommendations include reduced juvenile recidivism, improved public confidence in the juvenile justice system, better alignment of juvenile penalties with the nature and severity of offences, and the successful reformation of juvenile offenders. This article contributes to the ongoing dialogue on juvenile justice reform by suggesting a nuanced approach that holds juveniles more accountable while providing a pathway for their rehabilitation and integration into society.

Key words:-The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2015, Heinous crimes,Juveniles aged between 16 to 18 years, Reformation,Rehabilitation, Special legislation and special Prison System.