Juvenile justice system understaffed, probation not given importance: Retired Justice Madan B Lokur

Retired Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B Lokur recently flagged concerns that the Juvenile Justice system in India was understaffed and that the Probation of Offenders Act has not been properly implemented in the country. .A single probation officer is often tasked with overseeing 150 to 500 children (youth in conflict with the law), he pointed out. He recounted that when he had visited Canada in the 2000s for a judicial education program, he was told that every probation officer handles 30 -35 probationers. He went on to opine that more probation officers need to be recruited across the country in India. .Justice Lokur was speaking at the inaugural National Consultation on “Strengthening Probation in the Juvenile Justice System in India,” organized by the Resource Cell for Juvenile Justice (RCJJ), a Field Action Project of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai (TISS) in collaboration with the Department of Social Work, University of Delhi.The event took place on June 6 and 7, 2025, at the India International Centre, New Delhi..Justice Lokur, who presently serves as the Chairperson of the UN Internal Justice Council, was the Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker.Other dignitaries present at the event included Bharat Parashar, Member Secretary (In-Charge) of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) who attended as the Guest of Honour and special guests, Prof Bipin Jojo, Dean of the School of Social Work at TISS and Prof Sanjoy Roy, Head of the Department of Social Work at the University of Delhi.Representatives of 20 States and one Union Territory also participated, as well as Principal Magistrates of Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs), Social Work Members of JJBs, Probation Officers, Legal-cum-Probation Officers, government officials, members of civil society organizations, academics, research scholars, and lawyers..Speaking at the event, Bharat Parashar emphasised the vital role played by Probation Officers (POs) and Legal-cum-Probation Officers (LCPOs) in the juvenile justice system and pointed out several challenges they face that limit their effectiveness. Parashar stressed the need to acknowledge and empower POs to truly strengthen the probation system. He further said that every child deserves a second chance and should not be re-traumatised, adding that NALSA is dedicated to this goal. POs have the potential to make a significant impact in mentoring children, he added. .Prof Bipin Jojo highlighted that the legal framework for probation in India was initially developed at TISS in the early 1950s. Since then, the institute has remained deeply committed to advancing the cause of strengthening probation in the country, he said. Prof Sanjoy Roy noted that it is the first time these two leading institutions in social work have come together to organise a National Consultation focused on strengthening probation, a timely and much-needed initiative..Over the two-day consultation, three panel sessions explored key themes including the socio-legal aspects of juvenile justice, systemic challenges faced by those working with children in conflict with the law, and rehabilitative models. Discussions highlighted the critical role of probation in rehabilitation, stressing issues like high probationer-to-officer ratios and the need for better training. Four participant working groups focused on improving probation, the Mission Vatsalya Scheme, the JJ Act, and inter-agency collaboration. A short film featuring children sharing their real-life experiences in the juvenile justice system was also screened at the event.