Groove Misplaced Childhood—Supervision Is an Obligatory Defence

Abstract

Children are a country’s greatest asset, so it is profoundly distressing that so many of children have recently been found guilty of horrific crimes such as rape, murder, theft, kidnapping, etc. Movies are recognized to be a powerful medium of influence, and many of them depict the use of alcohol or other drugs as a heroic feat. In other circumstances, the younger generation is influenced by movie scenes. There are approximately 472 million children under the age of 18 in the country, and numerous similar incidents occur every day.1 The National Crime Statistics Bureau (NCRB) reports that 29,768 children were arrested by the police in 2020 for a variety of infractions. The highest crime rate was recorded in Chhattisgarh (21.4%), followed by Madhya Pradesh (16.8%), Jharkhand (0.4%), and Nagaland (0.4%).2 According to the most recent NCRB 2020 report, children were accused of committing rape (937), murder (842), attempted murder (981), injury (5867), and attack on women (1154), kidnapping (725), and theft (6081). The number of youngsters registered as offenders under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act of 2012, the arms Act 1959, and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 1985 were 1668, 260, and 264 respectively.2 Many offenders are between the ages of 16 and 18. As a result, there is an upsurge in juvenile crime across the country. There was overwhelming preference at the time for severe punishment for the young defendant in the Delhi “Nirbhaya” event. According to the Juvenile Justice Act, a sentence of more than 3 years is not possible if the accused was under 18 at the time of the offence.3 The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, states that minors who commit serious crimes should be charged as majors.3 According to a legal advocate (Civil Laws), several factors, including dysfunctional families, poverty, inadequate education, a decline in moral values, mental disorders, emotional maladjustment, personality traits, peer pressure, and neighborhood influence, will affect children who engage in such criminal offences.4 The mental health professionals have also emphasized the significance of a number of psychosocial factors that contribute to a child’s offensive behavior, including the child’s upbringing, a lack of necessities, the influence of social media, addiction to drugs or alcohol, online gaming, a lack of supervision, hostile parenting practices, a lack of social support, unhealthy coping mechanisms, single parenting, peer pressure, etc. Therefore, identifying these bio-psycho-social determinants and promptly delivering customized bio-psycho-social therapies is the need of the hour. Most children go astray because there is insufficient monitoring and supervision by family members and an inability to recognize what their children are doing wrong. Decades of research all over the world discovered strong links connecting parental behavior and children’s conduct. Parents should foster an environment where children are willing to communicate and discuss their problems. It is also crucial how the parents respond to their children’s errors; rather than berating or punishing them, encourage them to explain why they made these errors and work to find solutions together. Seek the help of a mental health provider such as a clinical psychologist, psychiatrist, or child behavior specialist if needed for better management. Many stakeholders concerned with children’s rights and safety advise establishing moral principles in children and restricting their access to social media and online games that promote violent behavior. Raising mental health awareness through health-care professionals, organizations, and nongovernmental organizations through workshops, seminars, and online webinars can substantially impact children’s well-being.