NCJ Number
164978
Date Published
1996
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This overview of India's juvenile justice system presents the history and principles of juvenile justice legislation and addresses the formal system of juvenile justice as well as informal juvenile justice practices.
Abstract
There are two major trends within the 32 statutes that compose juvenile justice legislation. One trend began in 1974 when the Juvenile Tutelary Counsel gave the juvenile justice system a protective-assistance character. In practice, this became a system in which the juvenile lost all due process guarantees and constitutional rights. Such legislation is still in force in 30 States. The second trend began after Mexico's ratification of the Children's Rights Convention in the early 1990's, which led to a more modern approach to due process guarantees for juveniles. A significant limitation remains, however; both the old Juvenile Tutelary Counsel and the new Juvenile Counsel are under the authority of the State Department. This means the judging body, the appealing body, and the defense body, as well as the treatment centers are under the same administrative authority. Informal social-control practices against juveniles consist of police raids on and control of homeless children, young prostitutes, and juvenile street vendors. Some are sent to public assistance centers, where they are confined for 15 to 30 days without any kind of treatment. They then return to the streets, where they are again picked up by police in a continuing cycle of harassment. Other weaknesses in Mexico's juvenile justice system are identified and discussed. 12 references and an appended directory of juvenile justice agencies