Juvenile Violence through lost Childhoods & Narratives of Neglect Are we responsible?

Teaching Media, Gender, and Human Rights at Bangalore University has helped me explore and write about juvenile crimes in India.
I found it to be deeply connected to the academic focus on the teaching fields when it comes to The Media Influence on Juvenile Behavior, including TV, films, and social media, which can significantly influence children's attitudes and behaviors, sometimes normalizing or glamorizing violence and delinquency.
Media Representation of Juvenile Crime shapes public perceptions, creates moral panics, and influences policy responses. Media can also perpetuate stereotypes or stigmatize young offenders, affecting their rehabilitation and reintegration.
Gender plays a crucial role in both the perpetration and victimization of juvenile crime. Boys and girls may experience and participate in crime differently, often shaped by societal norms, expectations, and exposure to gender-based violence.
By linking juvenile crime to human rights, we empower people to become advocates for systemic change, promoting policies and practices that protect the rights of all children and address the root causes of delinquency.
Writing this narrative provided me with extensive exposure to meeting many people related to this topic, and I had to engage in a lot of reading to assimilate and acquire more information.
"Adolescence," a British four-part mini-series, premiered on Netflix and tells the story of how a family’s world is turned upside down when 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) is arrested for the murder of a teenage girl who goes to his school. The series explores the pressures faced by young men, the impact of social media, and the complexities of adolescent behavior. The series explores the roots of juvenile violence and toxic masculinity in modern society.
Jack Thorne, the co-creator and writer, collaborated with Stephen Graham to develop the series. He says they just wanted to shine a light on juveniles and ask, ‘Why is this happening today? What’s going on? How have we come to this?’ They say this series made them think about themselves as men, fathers, partners, and friends, It's high time we think of ourselves as women, Mothers, spouses, and friends, and ensure “Adolescence” series doesn’t stage in our society and homes.
In the Social Learning Theory, the most famous representative, Albert Bandura, believed that people are not born with innate actions and that violence and aggression can be learned through modeling the behavior of others. The causes of the crime can indeed be linked to this theory, especially in cases of minors.
Data shows that violent crimes by Juveniles are increasing worldwide, and this includes India. Juvenile crimes are becoming critical issues that are affecting communities and families alike.
It could be through theft, which includes shoplifting, stealing personal belongings, or even attempting to take a vehicle.
Vandalism, a frequent offense among young people, includes breaking windows or damaging property.
Underage drinking is a typical teenage behavior dismissed, but it carries substantial risks and consequences.
Drug Possession of illegal substances is a serious offense that can have long-lasting effects on a juvenile's life.
Juvenile assault cases often stem from bullying, fights, or aggressive behavior. Early intervention and conflict resolution education can play vital roles in preventing such incidents.
Turning our attention to juvenile crimes in India, Maharashtra tops the list with 4,406 cases, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 3,795 cases and Rajasthan with 3,063 cases, which rank second and third, respectively. Tamil Nadu is ranked 4th in the list.
An article by Hemani Bhandari in Hindustan Times says Delhi’s juvenile homes are pushed to the brink with a rise in crime by teens. It says that in Kingsway Camp in north Delhi, over 100 minors are currently packed into a nondescript facility designed to house just 60 children in conflict with the law (CCLs).
“Every few days, police vans back up to its entrance, dropping off more boys, many of them accused of serious, sometimes violent crimes. With no place else to send them, the home simply swells beyond capacity.”
The majority of the minors see detention as a "badge of honour" and often return to criminal activities after release, emboldened by lenient laws. Gangs are increasingly recruiting minors, exploiting the lighter sentences for juveniles.
In Chandigarh (2024–2025), the nature of juvenile crime has shifted from petty theft to violent offences such as murder, attempted murder, rioting, and assault. In 2024, 19 juveniles were booked for attempted murder—the highest in five years.
Socially, the leniency of the juvenile justice system has created a cycle of repeat offenders, as children are quickly released and they often return to criminal activities. Adults exploit juveniles for crimes, knowing the repercussions are less severe.
NCRB data exposes a shocking trend that juvenile crime is on the rise in Tamil Nadu. There has been an increase, with 2,607 cases registered in 2022 compared to 2,212 cases in 2021.
Former state president of the Tamil Nadu Psychiatric Association, Dr Panneerselvam
In an interview with the media, he expressed his strong concern about the increasing rate of juvenile crime. He says Minors aged 18 years or younger constitute 33% of India’s population, with 6 to 7% involved in Criminal activities. He further says, out of every one lac juveniles, 17% exhibit aggressive tendencies, leading them to indulge in physical attacks. 44% provoke others with verbal abuse, and 15% struggle with misconceptions about sexuality. 50% of children aged 14 -18 have used drugs at least once. Observations from mental health centers suggest that substance abuse is becoming a serious issue among Youth The Year 2025 has seen Karnataka record a sharp increase in crimes against children, with over 10 Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) cases registered daily in early 2025. In 2024, 4,003 POCSO cases were filed, a nearly 39% rise in four years. Despite the surge in cases, the conviction rate remains low, and many accused juveniles are acquitted. The system struggles to deliver justice and deterrence.
Where are the answers to address the root causes, prevent repeat offences, and bring reforms to the juvenile justice system?
A human being goes through several stages of social development, among which childhood and adolescence are essential. Values, patterns of behavior, and motives are formed in childhood. At this stage, family and parents play a crucial role in a person’s life.
Minors left without parental support or guidance are at a greater risk. For grandparents or other caregivers, it can be challenging to pay attention and supervise these children. Improper surroundings may encourage a child or adolescent to engage in criminal behavior. The causes of committing a crime can be domestic violence, parental indifference, and bad habits.
Poor socio-economic status, indifferent attitude of parents, feelings of inferiority, lack of attention can lead to various types of psychological issues in children and adolescents.
Children living on the streets, due to poor economic and social conditions, can be considered as one of the risk groups, as they are homeless children who see “hooliganism” as the only way of their existence.
Experts say that a few factors contribute to the rise in Heinous Juvenile Crimes like
Digital exposure, leading to cyberbullying, and exposure to violent content, especially among adolescent boys.
Excessive social media use has increased aggression, mimicry of violent behaviour, and reduced empathy.
Familial and social neglect play a significant role in leading to a lack of emotional support and guidance during adolescence, a critical developmental stage. Most of the Juveniles are from economically weaker backgrounds and have no access to quality education or employment.
Peer pressure in informal settlements pushes youth towards gangs or criminal groups.
Easy access to alcohol and drugs contributes to impulsive and aggressive behavior.
In India, we have the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, which allows juveniles aged 16–18 years to be tried as adults for heinous crimes after assessment by the Juvenile Justice Board, The Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) focusing on the prevention of child offences, and the Digital Literacy and Cyber Safety Campaigns, which addresses online grooming, cyberbullying, and digital addiction among young people.
But the Challenges to tackle juvenile crimes overshoot the solution because of Ineffective policy implementation, gaps in rehabilitation, counselling, and monitoring mechanisms, Overburdened tasks and under-resourced, Stigmatization and lifelong social exclusion of young offenders’ post-incarceration, and lack of gender-specific data and interventions, especially concerning girls involved in or victims of juvenile crimes.
Student counsellors opine that the information boom, availability of smartphones, peer influence, crime scene depictions in movies, rags to riches dream, rape, love scenes in the celluloid medium influence juveniles in the wrong way.
Addressing juvenile crime requires more than punitive measures. Juveniles need mentors, not prosecutors. We can redirect youth energy into positive pursuits and prevent crime by fostering strong family bonds, promoting quality education, and creating inclusive communities.
Let us remember that young minds need opportunities, not prisons, and our collective duty is to light the way.
About the Author
Mrs Geetha Shankar is a Life Skills Coach, Learning and Development professional, TEDx Speaker, and Author. She is the founder of the Center for Communication Excellence. Geetha has over 25 years of extensive experience in Education, training and development, Public Relations, Communications, and Employee Relations. She is the National President of PRCI