Key Points
The Juvenile Justice Act legally mandates that children under the age of 18 be placed in observation homes or places of safety, not adult prisons..
As per RTI responses received by iProbono, between 2019 and 2023, 4,54,86 individuals got legal representation during the remand stage i.e., in court, while only 46,985 could avail help at the police station when they were first arrested..
The recently launched Restoring the Youth campaign by the National Legal Services Authority is a welcome initiative that focuses on identifying and releasing children in conflict with law erroneously placed in adult jails..
Nevertheless, the initiative must be accompanied by reforms that advance best practices in legal aid services to ensure that every possible remedy and safeguard is made accessible at all stages, placing special emphasis on the pre-trial phases as highlighted above..
She is a Program Officer at iProbono, where she leads the Juvenile Justice vertical, offering pro bono legal representation to children in conflict with law..
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