Groundbreaking data, compiled over three years (2022-2025) by the Juvenile Justice Clinic Helpdesk at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru, paints a stark picture of the children entering the juvenile justice system. This extensive dataset, covering 577 children in conflict with the law, reveals a deeply troubling trend: the vast majority hail from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. More than half of these children never even completed class 10, and a significant number grew up in homes with only one parent or no parents at all.
An age breakdown of the children shows that over 70% (407 individuals) were between 16 and 18 years old, with the remaining 170 falling into the 12 to 16 age bracket. Disturbingly, children from marginalized communities are severely overrepresented; 185 children came from minority communities (Muslims and Christians), and another 183 were from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, or Other Backward Classes. Combined, these groups account for nearly two-thirds of all recorded cases.
Struggling with Education and Family Instability
The educational disparities faced by these children are profound. A staggering 319 children—over half the total—had not completed class 10, with only 258 managing to pursue studies beyond that point. Family instability exacerbates their precarious situation: 124 children had no father, 28 had no mother, and 12 were orphaned. Furthermore, the data exposes significant hurdles in their educational continuity and social reintegration. While 44.7% of children were reportedly enrolled in studies past class 10, a larger 55.3% had either dropped out or failed to progress beyond elementary schooling, a clear indication, say NLSIU researchers, of the challenges they face in re-entering the mainstream education system.
According to researchers at the NLSIU helpdesk, this vital initiative was established to offer crucial legal and psycho-social support to children involved with the law. The study’s conclusions underscore systemic failures that go far beyond mere legal technicalities, deeply rooted in pervasive poverty, fractured family environments, and stark inequalities in educational opportunities.
Amaidhi Devaraj, co-director of the Juvenile Justice Clinic at NLSIU, Bengaluru, emphasized a critical point: while the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, distinguishes between children ‘in conflict with the law’ and ‘in need of care and protection,’ their data strongly suggests that many children in the former category actually originate from disadvantaged socio-economic settings. She articulated, “Therefore, those classified as in conflict with the law should also be recognized as children in need of care and protection. They deserve comprehensive support and rehabilitation, a need that our helpdesk initiative is dedicated to fulfilling.”
Impactful Interventions and Support
Since March 2022, the NLSIU Juvenile Justice Clinic has actively implemented numerous interventions to assist children navigating the juvenile justice system. Their efforts include providing legal representation to 65 children and offering general legal aid to 134 others. Additionally, nearly 2,500 children have benefited from legal awareness sessions. The clinic also collaborated with key organizations like the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA), Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), District Child Protection Office (DCPO), and Special Juvenile Police Unit (SJPU) to conduct capacity-building sessions for 600 stakeholders, tailored to address specific needs within the juvenile justice framework.
The clinic has also fostered a strong partnership with the Juvenile Justice Committee of the High Court of Karnataka and KSLSA to pinpoint and address ongoing challenges within the juvenile justice system. Their impactful resources include toolkits simplifying legal procedures for bail and initial child apprehension, comprehensive manuals for stakeholders completing social investigation reports, thorough audits of Observation Homes across Karnataka, and a detailed study exposing case delays and pending issues within the system. Furthermore, the clinic provides an invaluable elective course for NLSIU students, offering them a deep dive into juvenile justice and practical engagement with live cases, thereby fostering a richer understanding of systemic hurdles.