GOVERNMENT OF MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2602

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 11TH AUGUST, 2021/ SRAVANA 20, 1943 (SAKA)

INCREASING INVOLVEMENT OF MINORS IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES

2602. SHRI PARIMAL NATHWANI:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the number of minors involved in criminal activities is increasing in the country every year;

(b) if so, the details thereof along with the reasons therefor;

(c) the number of crimes committed by minors during the last three years, State-wise;

(d) the efforts made by Government to check minors from committing various crimes; and

(e) the outcome thereof?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI)

(a) to (c): National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) compiles and publishes information on crime in its publication “Crime in India”. The published reports are available till the year 2019. State/UT-wise details of cases reported against juveniles and juveniles apprehended under Indian Penal

Code (IPC) and Special and Local Laws (SLL) Crimes during 2017-2019 are at Annexure-I.

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R.S.US.Q.NO.2602 FOR 11.08.2021

(d) & (e): „Police‟ and „Public Order‟ are State subjects under the Seventh

Schedule to the Constitution of India. The responsibilities to maintain law and order, protection of life and property of the citizens rest with the respective State Governments. The State Governments are competent to deal with such offences under the extant provisions of laws.

The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act (JJ Act), 2015 is the primary law for children in need of care and protection and children alleged and found to be in conflict with law. The JJ Act, 2015 applies to children who have not completed the age of 18 years and categorizes offences committed by children as petty, serious and heinous offences.

Special provisions have been made to tackle child offenders committing heinous offences in the age group of 16-18 years, which will act as a deterrent. The JJ Act provides for setting up of a network of services and structures for ensuring the well being and rehabilitation of such children which includes Juvenile Justice Boards, Special Juvenile Police Units,

State and District Child Protection Units, Homes of various types and non- institutional care through adoption, foster-care and sponsorship. These measures among other things also intend mainstreaming of children in conflict with law and thereby reducing crimes by the minors. The State

Governments/UT Administrations are entrusted with the primary responsibility for implementation of the JJ Act.

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R.S.US.Q.NO.2602 FOR 11.08.2021

The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing “Child

Protection Services” (CPS) (erstwhile Integrated Child Protection Scheme) with the objective to create a safe and secure environment for overall development of children in need of care and protection and children in conflict with law. The State Governments /UT Administrations are entrusted with the primary responsibility for implementation of the CPS

Scheme.

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ANNEXURE-I R.S.US.Q.NO.2602 FOR 11.08.2021

State/UT-wise Cases Reported and Juveniles Apprehended under IPC & SLL Crimes during 2017- 2019 Cases Reported against Juveniles Juveniles Apprehended SL State/UT 2017 2018 2019 2017 2018 2019 1 1122 966 820 1441 1111 1072 2 Arunachal Pradesh 48 31 24 98 62 39 3 Assam 192 150 129 191 152 136 4 Bihar 1142 671 1560 1347 614 1610 5 Chhattisgarh 1952 1911 1647 2417 2324 2031 6 Goa 24 20 27 29 25 33 7 2013 2040 2025 2363 2506 2384 8 Haryana 1030 1178 1319 1196 1343 1596 9 Himachal Pradesh 184 232 181 226 287 226 10 Jammu & Kashmir* 187 285 299 262 393 407 11 75 79 76 84 89 77 12 Karnataka 499 528 453 691 744 586 13 Kerala 481 475 451 682 655 678 14 Madhya Pradesh 6491 5232 5522 7166 6102 6186 15 Maharashtra 6026 5880 5189 7771 7718 6454 16 Manipur 12 10 2 14 16 8 17 Meghalaya 93 71 75 114 88 89 18 Mizoram 21 31 23 22 37 25 19 Nagaland 12 10 6 22 21 6 20 Odisha 1111 1078 1162 1242 1155 1412 21 Punjab 215 236 246 270 297 293 22 Rajasthan 2048 2068 2397 2692 2610 3022 23 Sikkim 24 9 4 36 18 4 24 Tamil Nadu 2376 2304 2686 2919 2716 3304 25 Telangana 1365 1408 1352 1255 1520 1586 26 Tripura 37 44 39 37 54 48 27 Uttar Pradesh 825 1048 976 889 1150 1129 28 Uttarakhand 159 179 94 182 189 101 29 West Bengal 577 503 503 733 591 591 TOTAL STATE(S) 30341 28677 29287 36391 34587 35133 30 A&N Islands 16 25 19 25 35 24 31 Chandigarh 159 137 117 164 215 208 32 D&N Haveli** 11 12 15 15 18 20 33 Daman & Diu** 10 3 13 14 6 19 34 2965 2727 2783 3666 3315 3256 35 Lakshadweep 0 0 0 0 0 0 36 Puducherry 104 10 1 145 80 15 TOTAL UT(S) 3265 2914 2948 4029 3669 3542 TOTAL (ALL INDIA) 33606 31591 32235 40420 38256 38675 Source: Crime in India

Note : Due to non-receipt of data from West Bengal in time for 2019, Data furnished for 2018 has been used * Now Uts of Jammu & Kashmir and Laddakh

** Now UT of D&N Haveli and UT of Daman & Diu have merged as one UT

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