COIMBATORE: In the last four months, the district juvenile justice board has sent 90 children in conflict in law to perform social service like working in hospitals or help police personnel in regulating traffic on city roads. In many case, the service is part of the bail condition.
The duties, sources said, has helped bring about a behavioural change in several children. Encouraged by the results, juvenile justice board in other districts have sought guidance from members in Coimbatore.
Currently, two juvenile offenders are deployed in a traffic signal and in the CMCH respectively. "Under Section 18 (1) (c) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act (order the child to perform community service under the supervision of an organisation or institution, or a specified person, persons or group of persons identified by the Board), the board chaired by principal magistrate R Saravanababu sent around 90 juvenile offenders for social service since May 2024. We have seen many get psychologically rehabilitated after the service", said K Mahesh, a member of the board.
The board usually sends children in conflict with law for 7-day service with the traffic police, Coimbatore Medical College Hospital and ESI Hospital. Those who sent for traffic regulations would work along with the traffic police at signals and those who went to hospitals took care of the patients in the emergency wards and kitchen as per the guidance from the Resident Medical Officer of the hospital.
"The board sends the children for social service stressing it as a condition when they petition for bail. In some cases, when offenders are nearing release, the board gives such service based conditions. Once they complete the service, the competent authority - police officials or hospital authorities - gives a certificate for their conduct. It helps them to get early release and make them rehabilitate them psychologically to lead better life further," Mahesh added.
"As the service is mandatory, the children have to complete it and follow punctuality. When they work with police and regulate traffic, they learn a lot of things. Similarly, in hospitals, they witness the pain of people. These services play a vital role in their behavioural changes and gives them a chance to to realize their mistakes," Jenifer Pushpalatha, another member of the board said.
Appreciating the efforts, child rights activist Devaneyan said that it should be ensured that they are allowed to work under child-friendly people.
What was earlier called minor jail or correction centre is now called observation home, and the system that investigates cases has been changed to board instead of court. Several amendments have been made in the Juvenile Justice Act with the aim that even if children are involved in crime, they should not consider themselves as criminals.
"The best interest of the child is the objective of the Act. Therefore, the Juvenile Justice Board must reform and rehabilitate them without treating their mistakes as crimes. In that way, the effort is welcome. At the same time, it is important that the person with whom they are working is child-friendly and understands them. The feeling of being under surveillance and police procedure makes children feel like criminals," Devaneyan added.