Human Rights

Should Juvenile Justice Law be changed?

By Madhvi Chopra, VIPS, GGSIPU, New Delhi.

A “juvenile” means a person who has not completed eighteen years of age. A boy or girl under eighteen years of age is a “juvenile” according to the Juvenile Justice Act (JJA), 2000.

Earlier, according to the JJA, 1986, the age of boys and girls were different, but however, the JJA 2000 which repealed the JJA, 1986, brought the age of male juveniles at par with the female juveniles. Another reason for increasing the age of male juveniles by the JJA 2000 is to bring the Indian juvenile legislation into conformity with the ‘United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)’. Article 1 of CRC states for the purposes of the present Convention, a child means every human being below the age of eighteen years unless under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier. Therefore, both the boys and girls below the age of eighteen years enjoy the protection of juvenile legislation. (more…)

By LexQuest Foundation, ago

Decriminalisation of Suicide

By Riya Singh, New Law College, BVP, Pune.

Suicide has been declared as a crime in many countries. Most of the western countries have already decriminalised individual suicides, calling it a defiant act. Hence, it is discouraged in every possible way. In countries like Rome and Japan it was seen as a kind of defiant act that violates the personal freedom. A person who commits suicide is not within the reach of law; the problem arises in matters like corpse of the person, distribution of his property. His family members have to suffer a lot. This matter has been covered by legislation of some countries. (more…)

By LexQuest Foundation, ago