Understand, don't just hear out a child in conflict with law: CJI
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant emphasized that the legal system must prioritize understanding and rehabilitating children in conflict with the law rather than focusing on retribution. The discussion marked the 10th anniversary of the Juvenile Justice Act, highlighting the importance of second chances for youth.
Why it matters
This perspective shifts the focus of the juvenile justice system toward restorative justice, aiming to reduce recidivism and promote social reintegration.
NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant Saturday said a child in conflict with law must not only be heard but also be understood, since few young people can speak up for themselves before the police or any authority.Speaking on 10 years of the framing of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, Kant said very often, the child in conflict with law today was, only a little earlier, a child in need of care and protection whom we did not reach in time and that should be kept in mind while dealing with them."Our answer to such a predicament is restoration, not retribution. The Act presumes everyone below 18 to be innocent of any criminal intent, treats institutional care as a last resort, encourages diversion from formal proceedings, and prefers counselling, community service, and probation to confinement, while promising a fresh start.
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