Children and Crime in India: Causes Narratives and Interventions

Book Details

• Author: Rita Panicker & Saju Parackal

• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

• Language: English

• Edition: 2022

• ISBN: 9783030950446

• Pages: 268

• Cover: Hardback

• Sale Territory: India

About the Book

This compelling volume offers a deep sociological investigation into the lives of street children in India and their complex relationship with delinquency. Amid the ongoing reforms to the juvenile justice system in India, this book sheds light on the social, economic, and familial circumstances that push children toward conflict with the law. Drawing from intensive field research conducted by Butterflies India—an NGO dedicated to child welfare—the study is grounded in over 600 structured and unstructured interviews with both children and stakeholders.

Rather than portraying these children as societal threats, the authors emphasize their untapped potential as valuable contributors to the nation. The narrative highlights how systemic vulnerabilities, not inherent criminality, shape their behavior, and argues for the importance of restorative justice over punitive measures. With a focus on policy reform, parental empowerment, and family strengthening, the book calls for a holistic approach to juvenile justice.

Contents

1. The Context

2. The Socio-economic Profile of Children in Conflict with the Law

3. The Nature of Offences and Culpability

4. Factors Predisposing Children to Offences

5. The Juvenile Justice System: A Pathway for the Restoration of Children in Conflict with the Law

6. Summary and Conclusions

About the Author / Editor

Rita Panicker is the founder and director of Butterflies India, a New Delhi-based NGO working since 1989 to protect and empower street and working children. She has also served as a Consultant to UNICEF in Nigeria and New York for developing child protection policies.

Saju Parackal is a social scientist and board member of Butterflies. He has led multiple research initiatives under international and government bodies, served as visiting faculty at social work institutions, and authored two books and numerous scholarly articles on social development.