Introduction

• Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) is an institutional body constituted under Section 4 of Juvenile Justice Act, (JJ) 2015.
• The States constitute one or more Juvenile Justice Boards for the districts.
• The Boards are constituted to deal with the matters where “Child in conflict with law”.
• The constitution of the board and the procedure to be followed by the board is prescribed under the JJ Act.

Constitution of the JJB

• Section 4 of JJ Act deals with the Constitution of JJB.
  • A Board shall consist of
    • a Metropolitan Magistrate or
    • a Judicial Magistrate of First Class not being Chief Metropolitan Magistrate or
    • Chief Judicial Magistrate referred to as Principal Magistrate with at least three years experience and
    • two social workers of whom at least one shall be a woman, forming a Bench.
  • social worker shall be appointed as a member of the Board who has been actively involved in health, education, or welfare activities pertaining to children for at least seven years or a practicing professional with a degree in child psychology, psychiatry, sociology or law.

Power of the JJB

• Section 15 of JJ Act empowers the board In case of a heinous offence alleged to have been committed by a child, who has completed or is above the age of sixteen years, the Board shall conduct a preliminary assessment with regard to his mental and physical capacity to commit such offence, ability to understand the consequences of the offence and the circumstances in which he allegedly committed the offence, and may pass an order.
• It can hold inquiry under Section 17 and Section 18 of JJ Act and pass order as per these sections.

Functions of the Board

• To inform the involvement of guardian of the children in the matter.
• During investigation, arrest and other proceedings, the rights of the children must not be compromised.
• The child must have access to legal aid.
• Passing of final order that resolves the issue and includes a personalized care plan for the child’s rehabilitation, as well as any necessary follow-up by the probation officer, the district child protection unit, or a representative of a non-governmental organization.
• To investigate to determine who is qualified to care for children who violate the law.
• To undertake at least one inspection, visit per month at residential facilities for children in trouble with the law and to make recommendations for the District Child Protection Unit and the State Government regarding actions to be taken to improve the quality of services.