'Not enough data on crimes involving children in Karnataka'

The Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (Bengaluru) Member Vanitha Thorvi said that the increasing cases of crime involving children has created an alarming situation, which calls for the immediate redress.

Children are seen involved in the cases either as the victims or the accused, she added.
She was speaking at a meeting to discuss and make recommendations for the amendments required for the Justice Juvenile Act, 2015.

Thorvi said that children are prone to violence. “The crimes involving children have increased to 84 per cent. There are also unseen and unregistered cases. It is disheartening to find that young children are involving in crimes. Simultaneously, the same number of children are becoming the victims of crimes,” she noted.

Asserting that lack of awareness about the Juvenile Justice Act and other Constitutional provisions has resulted in increased cases of juvenile crimes, Thorvi said that awareness measures should be implemented and better educational facilities ensured to children.

“There are no proper statistical data over the crimes committed on children or by children. There is no proper design in the records maintained over juvenile crimes. The age group of children involving in crime is from 14 years to 18 years. Karnataka is one among the most literate states, however in this state itself, there is no appropriate data maintained over the juvenile crimes,” she lamented.

She added that the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights is embarking upon introducing bridge courses for children who are workers and abandoned, which would help them to earn their bread. The bridge courses would be offered to children in the age group of 17 to 18 years. The district should be made a child labour-free district, she advised.

Zilla Panchayat vice president Sheela K Shetty said that the amendments for the Justice Juvenile Act, 2015 are required to enhance the quality of justice that is offered to the juvenile crimes. She regretted that the crimes are increasing against women. Women and children are trafficked to neighbouring countries. They are also subjected to violence in various phases of life. Working women are victimised in all sectors of the work culture, she added.
DH News Service