Over 94% of juveniles held last year were 1st-time offenders: NCRB data

new delhi: Data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) for 2019 showed that 94.89 per cent (2,285) of the 2,408 juveniles apprehended and 80.32 per cent (87,027) of the 1,08,349 adults arrested were first-time offenders.

As per NCRB, they were apprehended under IPC sections or Special and Local Laws (SLL). According to data, a total of about 1,26,138 people were apprehended last year.

Of the adults, 8,783 persons were arrested earlier but not convicted in whereas 1,289 were arrested and convicted. Of the juveniles, 146 juveniles were apprehended in the past but not convicted and 663 juveniles were apprehended and convicted.

The data related to Special and Local Laws (SLL) revealed that 21,322 adults (first timers) were arrested whereas 123 juveniles were apprehended - also first-timers. Overall 25,945 people, including minors were apprehended last year in SLL.

One Delhi Police official said that there are various reasons behind why first-time offenders commit crimes, which include financial issues, attraction towards a lifestyle of criminals, revenge, etc.

Another official said that in cybercrime cases, they have found that first-time offenders want to make easy money so they commit crime whereas they have also seen the involvement of first-timers in cases related to crimes of passion.

"Habitual criminals brainwashed youths, minors by showing them money, branded clothes, cars and then they used them in committing crimes," the official said, adding that revenge crime has turned youths into criminals.

Meanwhile, various factors including lack of parental control and no education lead juveniles to commit crimes. They also commit street crimes like pickpocketing, snatching to fulfill their requirements of substance abuse.

The Delhi Police has launched Yuva programme, an initiative to engage and steer street children and youth towards the mainstream. Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range) Devesh Srivastava said various vocational training has been provided to youths. "In the present scenario we are also thinking of online job fair for which we are collecting a database of trainees," he said.

According to Delhi Police data (till May 27), as many as 4,009 budding criminals were arrested for different crimes by police teams of 15 districts.