FROM CRIME TO COURT: JUVENILE DELINQUENCY TREND IN ODISHA (A TIME SERIES LEGAL ANALYSIS)

Abstract

The juvenile justice framework in India is anchored in a rehabilitative ethos, drawing heavily from restorative justice and the principle of prioritizing the child’s best interests. Juvenile delinquency, rather than being innate, is construed as a byproduct of socio-environmental failures such as neglect, poverty, and educational deprivation. Statutory interpretations under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act articulate the age of criminal responsibility, yet remain silent on victim compensation—revealing critical legislative lacunae. Odisha’s trajectory in juvenile offenses, diverging markedly from national trends, reveals a persistent and erratic escalation, reflecting localized socio-legal fragilities and a lack of cohesive deterrent frameworks. Despite the national trend showing signs of stabilization, Odisha’s upward pattern signals a systemic drift fueled by inadequate intervention and fragmented enforcement. Time series analyses underscore the temporality and structure of these patterns, suggesting policy fatigue and short-lived efficacy. The state’s growing share in juvenile crime highlights institutional inertia and the disconnection between normative legal aspirations and regional exigencies. These findings call for context-specific recalibrations in juvenile justice policy, emphasizing decentralized and empirically grounded interventions. The enduring rise of juvenile delinquency in Odisha thus emerges not only as a legal concern but as a broader barometer of societal dislocation and institutional insufficiency.