Poverty, inequality seed delinquency in minors: SC
The Supreme Court of India has emphasized that poverty, illiteracy, and discrimination are key drivers of juvenile delinquency. This ruling highlights a shift in judicial perspective, contrasting with previous views that focused on the influence of technology and social media.
Why it matters
This legal interpretation impacts how the Juvenile Justice Act is applied, potentially changing sentencing and rehabilitation approaches for minors from marginalized backgrounds.
NEW DELHI: The full benefit of protective provisions of Juvenile Justice Act has not yet been extended to children who generally develop delinquent behaviour due to having grown up in poverty and environs marked by inequality, illiteracy and discrimination, Supreme Court has said.Exonerating a minor from the charge of attempt to erase evidence in a dowry death case, a bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Sh-ree Chandrashekhar traced in detail the history and development of JJ Act. They said because of industrialisation and urbanisation, rural folk migrated to cities and this weakened community cohesion, resulting in families losing control over their children.Writing the judgement, Justice Chandrashekhar said Wednesday, "Poverty, inequality, illiteracy and the discriminatory environment in which a child grows trigger delinquent behaviour...
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