Juvenile Justice in India: A Critical Review of Legal Framework, Child Rights, Rehabilitation and Emerging Challenges

Abstract

Juvenile justice is an important part of the legal system, with the goal of helping protect children’s rights, and to prevent juvenile delinquency and to rehabilitate and socially reintegrate children in conflict with the law. The juvenile justice system in India has witnessed paradigm shifts brought about by legislative reforms, constitutional safeguards, judicial interpretations and international child-rights principles. Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 is a landmark piece of legislation as it provides comprehensive legal framework for care, protection, treatment and rehabilitation of children. However, some provisions, especially where children aged 16-18 years are charged with heinous offenses, have been subject to significant debate on the balance between the rights of the child, criminal responsibility, rehabilitation and public safety. This review paper critically analyzes the legal framework of juvenile justice in India with special emphasis on legislative developments, constitutional safeguards, institutional mechanisms, judicial approaches and rehabilitation strategies. It also looks at the causes of juvenile delinquency, challenges in the implementation of juvenile justice laws and effectiveness of existing child protection institutions. The methodology of the study is doctrinal and analytical, based on secondary sources, including legislation, judicial decisions, government reports, international instruments and scholarly literature. The review points out deficiencies in the institutional implementation, the rehabilitation facilities, the legal awareness and the coordination of the child protection agencies. It concludes that in an effort to strengthen the juvenile justice system in India, a child-centred, rights-based and reformative approach needs to be supported by effective institutional mechanisms and continuous legal reforms.

Keywords: Juvenile Justice; Juvenile Delinquency; Child Rights; Rehabilitation; Juvenile Justice Act; Criminal Responsibility; Child Protection; Social Reintegration; India

Citation

Gaurav Chauhan. Juvenile Justice in India: A Critical Review of Legal Framework, Child Rights, Rehabilitation and Emerging Challenges. WebLog J Forensic Sci Criminol. wjfsc.2026.j2904. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23912664