Juvenile Justice Boards’ High Pendency and Staffing Shortages

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India’s Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs) have serious issues, according to recent findings from the India Justice Report (IJR). Over 55% of all cases before JJBs remained unresolved as of October 31, 2023, indicating pervasive deficiencies in personnel, infrastructure, data administration, and coordination. Less than half of the 1,00,904 cases submitted to JJBs had been resolved, according to data based on more than 250 RTI replies from 21 States.India’s Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs) have serious issues, according to recent findings from the India Justice Report (IJR). Over 55% of all cases before JJBs remained unresolved as of October 31, 2023, indicating pervasive deficiencies in personnel, infrastructure, data administration, and coordination. Less than half of the 1,00,904 cases submitted to JJBs had been resolved, according to data based on more than 250 RTI replies from 21 States.

Status of Juvenile Justice Boards Across India

According to the IJR research, pendency is still rather high and varies significantly between states even though JJBs have been formed in 92% of India’s 765 districts. Odisha has an 83% pendency rate, Karnataka has a 35% rate, and the national average is 55%. Additionally, 24% of JJBs are not fully established and 30% of JJBs do not have an accompanying legal services clinic, both of which are essential for delivering child-centric justice.

Findings from the India Justice Report Study

The report “Justice and Children in Conflict with the Law: A Study of Capacity at the Frontlines” looks at institutions created under the Juvenile Justice Act of 2015.

High Pendency and Workload

Each JJB handles an average of 154 pending cases annually, demonstrating a significant mismatch between burden and capability.

Staffing and Infrastructure Shortfalls

Many boards have significant shortages in critical roles like social workers and support staff. Funding for training and capacity-building is still insufficient. Many districts lack child-friendly facilities, which affects the sensitivity and quality of hearings.

Poor Data Systems and Low Transparency

Unlike traditional courts, JJBs do not have a centralized data system like the National Judicial Data Grid. There are serious issues with openness as only 36% of RTI responses were fully answered, 11% were rejected, and 24% received no response.

High Number of Juveniles Apprehended

A concerning rise in the number of older teenagers interacting with the judicial system is indicated by the fact that more than 75% of the 40,036 juveniles arrested in 31,365 cases were between the ages of 16 and 18.

Structural Gaps in the Juvenile Justice Architecture

Important authorities are still not working together ten years after the JJ Act of 2015. The Women & Child Development Department, the State Legal Services Authority, the State Child Protection Society, and the Police often function separately. Over 500 RTIs were submitted in 530 districts, yet the responses were inconsistent and scattered. Many children lack proper legal representation since legal aid clinics are not available in 30% of JJBs. Rehabilitation and reintegration in child care institutions are adversely affected by staffing shortages.

Way Forward

The juvenile justice ecosystem must be strengthened by creating a National Juvenile Justice Data Grid, filling positions in JJBs and CCIs, ensuring legal aid services in every district, enhancing interagency coordination, increasing funding, and mandating regular monitoring and public reporting.

These steps are essential to ensuring that children in legal difficulty receive fair, timely, and kid-friendly justice.

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About the Author: Jyoti Verma