Children in conflict with the law or the society?

A baby however conceived is innocent and pure. It is free of any kind of malicious shadow. Then how do these little bundles of joy grow up to commit such heinous crimes? The unnamed juvenile involved in the Delhi rape case must have also been an innocent child. What must have happened that forced him to commit such an inhuman and unnatural act, an act which forced every person to rethink the meaning of the word juvenile? An act which forced the masses to demand death sentence for a mere child. Seventeen years and six months- just six months short of a death penalty. Had he committed this barbaric act barely six months later, he would be thinking up his last wish right now. Not only him, there are numerous juvenile delinquents who at such a tender age, when they should be thinking about and looking forward to their future, do some things which has an immense effect on their life.

Why do some children grow up to be doctors, scientists and lawyers while some end up as petty criminals? You may argue that not all parents can afford to get their children sufficiently educated. But is the price of good values and virtues so high? So if it is not a money related cause then what is it that ushers mere kids towards such a life?

MAJOR CAUSES

Psychological researches on teenage violence has brought to light many causes for juvenile delinquency such as poverty, anti-social parents, poor parenting, academic failure, psychological problems, alienation from home, school etc. However, so far the Indian society is concerned, the chief causes may be:

§ Temptation for modern luxuries of life lures the young generation to resort to wrongful means in order to satisfy their greed.

§ Absence of parental security and control due to hectic work schedules.

§ Unprecedented increases in divorce cases and matrimonial disputes have an adverse psychological effect on youngsters.

§ Early psychological maturity and low intelligence is a major threat, especially to the young girls.

§ In a country like India poverty is one of the main causes behind juvenile delinquency. Poverty gives rise to illiteracy, child labour, anti-social elements like prostitution, smuggling of liquor or narcotic drugs and bootlegging which further aggravate juvenile delinquency.

RESPOND TO ACCUSATIONS

Usually they deny the responsibility by blaming someone else. They may claim that since the one who has suffered the damage is wealthy enough, he/she can easily afford the loss. The delinquent may claim that the victim deserved the harm caused. In some cases they do not even try to defend themselves and suffer quietly with resignation.

PREVENTION

It is rightly said that charity begins at home, so parents should try and create a healthy and conducive environment to bring up their children in. in this mad race for materialistic comforts they are neglecting the most important and valuable part of their life - their children. What will be the use of all that wealth when our children are not even cultured? It will be spent on hiring lawyers and to bail them out of jail perhaps. We keep forgetting how impressionable our children at this age. Everyone has a purpose in this world but how will they be able to fulfill it without proper guidance and care? They trust you completely and easily and when their trust is not reciprocated or is broken it affects them deeply.

Rich parents throw money for the comfort of their children due to which the less privileged children to feel less endowed and an anger builds inside them. This anger could easily be avoided if in schools and colleges a standard equality is maintained. This standard should also be followed by parents in order for it to be effectively implemented. Why should children in India come to know about condoms and menstruation from outside their homes? Parents should be unhesitant to explain their children about such topics. How can they expect children to know about sex suddenly one day and then be mature enough to understand it? These sensitive topics should be explained slowly and in a very soothing manner so as not to encourage any obscenity but to make them used to the idea of the relationship between a man and a woman. But in Indian homes it’s a taboo to utter these words so then how can we expect our children to just understand such issues if we refuse to make them understand.

Parents need to keep an eye on the healthy development of children. Rapidly changing patterns of modern lifestyle causes cultural conflict due to which they are unable to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong and thus they get easily driven in to the deep, dark abyss of crime. Proper guidance and education and training in school as well as home can provide the greatest help to eradicate indulgence of children and adults in criminality. It has been proved that it is the circumstances and the atmosphere which compel children to become delinquents and not their own will. Thus, by providing a stable, social, suitable and favorable atmosphere we can expect some reforms. Though many shelter homes and juvenile reformatory centres have been set up in the recent years they fail to yield any result as it is not merely the establishment of an institution but the action of the institution which decides the progress of an idea.

Children are the most precious asset of the society, so in the end it is the society which can save them from stepping into the heinous world of crime. It is us, the people who can transform a child into a responsible citizen of tomorrow. So let us take a pledge today towards ensuring a healthy and safe childhood for each and every child, only then can the world become a better place to live in.

[This article is authored by Ms. Anmol Akanksha Nayak. She works as an Associate at Amazon India.]