By: Dr Sheikh Arshid Ahmad
Juvenile delinquency has become the harsh reality of Kashmir as most of the juveniles, especially school going children, are involved in robbery, human trafficking, drug addiction, illegitimate relationshipetc and these heinous crimes have largely labelled as immoral activities of the society.
Juvenile delinquency means the habitual committing of criminal acts or offences by a young person especially one who is below the age of maturity. This is a serious problem affecting juveniles upto age of 16 of both the genders. It is a form of unethical behavior that can have long-lasting effects on the juveniles.
Juvenile delinquency can hurt the juveniles in many forms, including physically, verbally and emotionally. It can damage the cognitive part of the brain forever if it is not timely curbed and has the potential to damage the hopes of bright future. It can produce harsh results if the juveniles are not streamlined.
In India, juvenile delinquency has become a very challengingissue for both the parents and society. It has disintegrated the social values with the sheer shallowness of immortality. Unfortunately, the educational sector has now become the sole target of juvenile delinquency in which individuals are free to interact and plotting their plan regarding any activity without realizing the motto of education system. The teachers were considered the greatest asset of the society who can pave the ethical and legitimate way for the students and their duty seemed to be always directed for moral guidance along with the formal instructions. Unfortunately, the present scenario tells a different story!
Juvenile delinquency paved the way for an amendment in the Juvenile justice act 1996 and hence Juvenile justice act 2000 was enacted. It saw few more amendments in 2006 and 2010 in the wake of juveniles- the school going kids-being found involved in criminal acts.
This sense of immorality starts from small bashful activities which can include name-calling, teasing, or spreading rumours or stealing small items. The Juvenile delinquency can happen anywhere, including at school, at work and even online over different social network sites. In recent years, cyber scam has a new trend in the society and has become more prevalent with the rise of social media and is used to harass, intimidate or spread the threats to someone else.
The effects of Juvenile delinquency can be devastating. Victims may suffer from depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. They may also experience physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach aches and insomnia. In extreme cases, it can lead to suicide.
It is important to recognize the signs of this serious issue at an early stage and parents should take strong action in this direction. If you or someone you know is being just deviated, it is important to speak up and seek help. Talk to a trusted friend, family member, teacher, or counsellor. You can also contact a helpline or support group for assistance and even take the help of police.
As a society, we must work together to prevent Juvenile delinquency. We must teach our children to be kind, respectful, and accepting of others. We must also hold counselling sessions and programs in order to provide accountable actions and support for victims of delinquency.We must work together to prevent it and create a safe and inclusive environment for everyone that will help the children to grow through the opportunities so that tomorrow they can be responsible citizens, physical fit,mentally alert and morally healthy.
Dr Sheikh Arshid Ahmad is a writer and a columnist.
