Children are valuable gifts and a nation's hope. However, without sufficient guidance or growth opportunities, individuals may wind up on the wrong track, inflicting harm to society. Therefore, safeguarding their legal rights is crucial.
Since the signing of the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child in 1959, India has been working towards rehabilitation and intervention of young offenders through various acts and judgements as evident precedents. India's juvenile justice system is intended to give care, protection, and rehabilitation to children who have violated the law; it operates on the foundation of rejuvenation and transformation rather than punitive measures. However, the Juvenile Justice Act of 2000 was the beam of light needed. Over the years, the act has seen several amendments for better implementation and to accomplish its objectives. Several recurring cases further focused our eyes on the shortcomings of the act, which led to what we now know as the Juvenile Justice (Amendment) Act, of 2015.
This paper covers the history of juvenile justice in India and its position in our legal system, emphasising the increasing number of cases in 2023, reported by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), as well as problems and recent legal amendments to combat juvenile delinquency.
