Juvenile Bill likely in LS this week

A Bill looking to try children in the 16 to 18 age group accused of heinous crimes under laws for adults is likely to be introduced in the Lok Sabha this week.

Overruling the approval of a parliamentary panel for its re-examination, the Cabinet cleared Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2014 on April 22.

Administrative sources said the Bill was likely to be introduced this week.

The Bill says that in case a monstrous crime has been committed by a person in the 16-18 age group it will be examined by a Juvenile Justice Board to assess if the crime was committed as a ‘child’ or as an ‘adult’.

The legal proceeding of the case will take place accordingly by the board which will consist of psychologists and social experts.

The bill, which would replace the existing Juvenile Justice Act, 2000, was proposed in view of the increasing number of serious offences being committed by persons in the 16-18 age group.

According to the information from National Crime Records Bureau, crimes by juveniles in the 16-18 age group have increased, especially in certain categories of heinous crimes.

The number of murder cases against children rose from 531 in 2002 to 1,007 in 2013.

Likewise, cases of rape and assault with intent to outrage the modesty of women have gone up from 485 and 522 in 2002 to 1,884 and 1,424 in 2013, respectively.