Police stations to handle juvenile cases

BHUBANESWAR: The state government has decided to have special juvenile police units (SJPU) in all police stations of the state. The SJPUs that handle juvenile delinquencies are currently functioning from only the district police headquarters. "The juvenile units would now function in all police stations. The aim is to give dedicated attention to minors indulging in crimes," director (social welfare) of women and child development department Sujata R Karthikeyan told TOI.
The mahila and sishu desks of the police stations have been given the additional charge of handling juvenile crimes. The officers of these desks would also be designated as juvenile and child welfare officers, according to a home department notification issued on Monday. "There shall be juvenile and child welfare officers in all police stations as required under Section 63 (2) of juvenile justice (care and protection of children) Act 2000 and Rule 49 (1) of juvenile justice (care and protection of children) Rules, Odisha, 2002," the notification said. "The Mahila and Sishu desk officers shall act as juvenile and child welfare officers," it added.
Child rights activists are skeptical of the move. "The mahila and sishu desks have skeletal staff. The same police officers have to handle law and order and child and women cases. Now they have to deal with juvenile crimes. How can we expect best results from them," said child rights activist Anuradha Mohanty. "Instead of running the juvenile units inside police stations, the government should open separate rooms elsewhere and engage dedicated police officers for handling the desks. The officers should be trained on how to counsel minor offenders," Mohanty said.
Lawyers said the police officers are often found violating the Juvenile Justice Act by behaving with minors like other criminals. "Contrary to rules, we often saw policemen putting hand-cuffs on minors and detaining them in police stations at different places," said Surendra Mohanty, a lawyer.
On September 4, the Orissa high court came down heavily on the state government for not opening mahila and sishu desks in all police stations of the state. Though seven years ago the government had announced to dedicate some teams of police personnel in police stations to deal with violence against women and children, the desks are yet to become functional at many places.