'Police' and 'Public Order' are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The Union Government, however, attaches the highest importance to the prevention of crime and, therefore, the Union Government has been advising the State Governments/ UT Administrations from time to time to give more focused attention to the administration of the criminal justice system with emphasis on prevention and control of crime.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has been undertaking visits to various States and has observed that the level of sensitiveness and care with which crime against children should be handled is not up to the desired level. In its Fifth Report, titled ‘Public Order’, the Second Administrative Reforms Commission has also emphasized the need to combat crimes against vulnerable sections of the society, particularly women and children.

The Government of India is deeply concerned about crime against children and would, therefore, advise the State Governments and UT Administrations to take the following steps for effective prevention, detection, registration, investigation and prosecution of all crimes against children within their jurisdiction:-

I. Vigorously enforce all the existing legislations relating to crime against children i.e., Prohibition of Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986, Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000 (as amended in 2006), Child Marriage Prohibition Act, 2006, Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, Information Technology Act, 2000 (as amended in 2008) and relevant sections of IPC.

II. Sensitize the law enforcement machinery, i.e. the police as well as other functionaries of the criminal justice system, towards crime against children by way of well-structured training programmes. Such training programmes, including inputs on Juvenile Justice (JJ) and Human Rights (HR), may also be incorporated in the syllabi of various Police Training Academies at all levels including those for Constables, Sub-Inspectors and Deputy Superintendents of Police. Assistance of Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) as well as National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) could be taken for this purpose.

III. Set up exclusive ‘Crime against Women/Children’ desks in each police station. There should be no delay, whatsoever, in registration of FIRs in all cases of crime against children. All out efforts should be made to apprehend all the accused named in the FIR immediately so as to generate confidence in the victims and their family members. The administration and police should play a more proactive role in detection and investigation of crime against children and also ensuring that there is no under reporting.

IV. Cases of crime against children should be thoroughly investigated and charge sheets against the accused persons should be filed within three months from the date of occurrence without compromising on the quality of investigation. Proper supervision of such cases should be ensured from recording of FIR to the disposal of the case. Speedy investigation should be conducted in heinous crimes like rape, murder etc. The medical examination of rape victims should be conducted without delay.

V. Steps may be taken not only to tackle such crimes but also to deal sensitively with the trauma ensuing the crime. Counselling to the victim as well as to the family may be provided by empanelling professional counsellors.

VI. Ensure all steps for improving the safety conditions in schools/ institutions, public transport used by students, children’s parks/ play grounds, residential localities/ roads etc. Crime prone areas should be identified and a mechanism be put in place to monitor infractions in such areas for ensuring the safety and security of students, especially girls. For this purpose the following steps should be taken:

a. Increase the number of beat constables;

b. Increase the number of police help booths/ kiosks, especially in remote and lonely stretches;

c. Increase police patrolling, especially during nights;

d. Posting police officers, especially women, fully equipped with policing infrastructure in crime-prone areas in adequate number.

VII. For improving general awareness about legislations relating to crime against children and mechanisms in place for safety and protection of the children, the following steps may be considered :

a. Creating awareness through print and electronic media;

b. Involving the community at large in creating and spreading such awareness.

c. Exploring the possibility of associating NGOs working in the area of combating crime against children and other vulnerable sections of the society.

d. Developing a community monitoring system to check cases of violence, abuse and exploitation against children and take necessary steps to curb the same;

VIII. The local police must be advised to collaborate with the ‘Childline-1098 Service’ (which is an emergency service being operated by the Childline India Foundation (CIF) all over the country catering to the needs of children in emergency situations) and NGOs for mutual help and assistance wherever and whenever required.

IX. The juvenile offenders should be dealt with only in accordance with law through proper implementation of the Rules under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000 (as amended in 2006), as these contain the procedures and requirements in detail for dealing with children in conflict with law as well as children in need of care and protection.

X. All efforts must be made to stop child labour and exploitation of children in all its forms and manifestations. Law enforcement agencies must extend all necessary cooperation to the State Labour Department in the cases of violation of Prohibition of Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986.

XI. To save the children from the abuse/ crime of child marriage the State Government must appoint Child Marriage Prohibition Officers as required under the Prohibition of Child Marriages Act, 2006. They should also set up State Commissions for Protection of Child Rights in accordance with the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act 2005 (CPCRAct).