| Abstract: |
Juvenile justice in India represents a delicate balance between child protection, social responsibility, public safety and constitutional morality. The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 establishes a comprehensive legal framework for children in conflict with law and children in need of care and protection. Its central philosophy is not punishment but care, protection, development, rehabilitation and social reintegration (Government of India, 2016). However, the success of juvenile justice reform cannot be measured merely by the existence of legislation. It must be assessed through actual implementation, institutional functioning, child-friendly procedures, rehabilitation outcomes, community acceptance and the capacity of the system to prevent children from entering or re-entering the justice process. This article examines juvenile justice reform in India from a transformative perspective. It analyses constitutional foundations, international standards, statutory framework, institutional mechanisms, policy practices, data trends, implementation gaps and societal impact. It argues that India’s juvenile justice system must move beyond formal legal compliance and adopt a holistic child-rights approach based on prevention, diversion, restorative justice, mental health care, family strengthening, community-based rehabilitation, after-care and accountable institutions. The article concludes that the true measure of juvenile justice is not how many children are processed by the system, but how many are restored to dignity, education, family, safety and society. |
