Naveen (name changed) is about 18-years-old and in his first year of B.Tech at a private college near the district headquarters.
Unaware of the laws and its implications, Mr. Naveen shared a facebook post that was forwarded to him by a group, which had some objectionable content in a religious context. A case was filed against him. This happened a few months ago. However, Naveen being a juvenile, Justice D. Durga Prasad of the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) suggested he do community service as part of the punishment.
With the assistance of the police, Naveen performed duty as traffic controller for three months each day for two hours in the evening. The juveniles were asked to cover their faces with a piece of cloth so that their identity remained hidden. “We have learned so many things during community service. The police taught me about the Constitution, the responsibility of citizens and importance of following rules and regulations to avoid accidents,” said Mr. Naveen.
In the past eight months or so, as many as 30 juveniles were awarded community service punishment, including traffic control.
One juvenile was awarded extended service at a government hospital. Many of them clearly understood the impact of ‘bad friendship’ and how it could create trouble for them.
“This is aimed at transforming juveniles and enabling them to become responsible citizens. This is really bringing about a change in them,” Justice Durga Prasad told The Hindu .
Community service has gone a long way in helping juvenile offenders become responsible citizens
