Delhi Police chief directs DCPs to organise counselling sessions, training for juveniles

new delhi: Commissioner of Police SN Shrivastava has directed Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) to organise counselling sessions for juveniles in their districts and take steps to ensure that they don't commit crimes.

The police chief in a meeting with the top brass of city police said: "Every district should organise counselling sessions for juveniles. Also, DCPs should plan to impart training for the development of skills like computer operation, repairing, motor mechanic, mobile repairing, welding, carpenter work so that they can be weaned away from indulging in a crime."

A data (till last week of May) revealed that about 664 FIRs and 173 Daily Diary entries were registered in which juveniles were involved in crime. In one of the districts, as many as 90 FIRs were registered whereas 65 were registered in another district.

As per data, more than 200 juveniles were apprehended for heinous offences and over 600 for non-heinous offences. One of the districts apprehended 117 juveniles for both heinous and non-heinous offences.

Around 440 juveniles were released after counselling whereas more than 180 juveniles for heinous offences and over 230 for non-heinous offences were sent to observation homes.

Amid, COVID 19 scenario, Delhi Police is reaching out to children through virtual mode. Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range) Devesh Chandra Srivastava said," Through video confrencing they are reaching out to children and their parents for counselling sessions," he said adding that they have also developed online courses like personality development, computer education for

juveniles.

At one place, the parents along with their children are called. Following social distancing and COVID 19 norms, they are made to sit and interact with officers through video confrencing.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) member Yashwant Jain said there are various factors which led juvenile to commit a crime which includes lack of parental control and no education. "School, parents play an important role in ensuring that children don't commit a crime," he said.

According to NCRB data, in the year 2017 — 2,677 crimes, 2018-2,388 and 2019-2,760 crimes were committed by juveniles. The data further shows that last year, 646 juveniles who committed crime where illiterate. As many as 2,594 juveniles, who were involved in the crime, were living with their parents whereas 437 were homeless.