NCJ Number
182511
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 44 Issue: 3 Dated: June 2000 Pages: 312-325
Date Published
June 2000
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This article examines changes in India’s juvenile justice system after passage of the Juvenile Justice Act of 1986 and the changes’ impact on juvenile offenders.
Abstract
The analysis focused on how changes in the juvenile justice system affected the types of cases brought before the juvenile courts and the types of dispositions imposed on delinquent children. The data came from court records in the southern State of Tamil Nadu, India, from January 1983 to November 1997. Results of the analysis revealed that the Juvenile Justice Act has produced few noteworthy changes in the 10 years since it was passed. Many States still lack separate juvenile courts. In addition, a single magistrate rather than a collegiate bench adjudicates juvenile cases in many instances. Findings of this study and prior studies suggested that the Juvenile Justice Act did not bring about the intended reforms. Future research should examine how other States are implementing the Juvenile Justice Act and what reforms have occurred in those States. Tables and 19 references (Author abstract modified)