Juvenile Offenders in Punjab

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The total number of convicted and undertrial juveniles imprisoned in various borstal institutes and jails of Punjab province was 645 as on 15 March 2022 (Prisons Department, Govt. of Punjab). Out of the total number of juvenile offenders, 81% (523) juveniles were on trial (under trial) and 19% were convicted juvenile offenders.

All juvenile offenders were male and no female was confined in any jail of Punjab. There were also no condemned juvenile offenders, male and female, in any jail of Punjab.

Number of Juveniles Convicted/Undertrial and Condemned Confined in Punjab Jails

(as on 15.03.2022)

Undertrials Convicts Condemned Total Male Total Female Grand Total
Male Female Male Female Male Female
523 0 122 0 0 0 645 0 645

Source: Prison Department, Govt. of Punjab (2022)

The majority of convicted juvenile offenders were imprisoned in B.I. & Jail Bahawalpur (61%) and Central Jail Faisalabad (25%).  

Name of Jails for Convicted Juveniles
B.I.& Jail Bahawalpur 74
Central Jail Faisalabad 30
Others 18
Total 122
Source: Prison Department, Govt. of Punjab (2022)

In comparison, undertrail juveniles were kept in 42 jails of Punjab. The highest number of undertrails were reported in Central Jail Rawalpindi (12%), followed by Central Jail Sheikhpura (9%), Central Jail Gujranwala (9%), Central Jail Faisalabad (7%), District Jail Lahore (7%),B.I.& Jail Bahawalpur (6%), District Jail Toba Tek Singh (4%) and the remaining 47% were spread over 35 different jails of Punjab province.

Name of Jails for Undertrial Juveniles
Central Jail Rawalpindi 64
Central Jail Sheikhhupura 47
Central Jail Gujranwala 46
Central Jail Faisalabad 34
District Jail Lahore 34
B.I.& Jail Bahawalpur 29
District Jail Toba Tek Singh 21
Other 35 Jails 248
Total 523
Source: Prison Department, Govt. of Punjab (2022)

The majority of convicted juvenile offenders are sentenced under three crimes: Murder (26%), unnatural offence (26%) and rape (25%). 

Nature of Crimes of Convicted Juveniles

Name of Crime Section Male Female
Murder 302 PPC 32 0
Unnatural Offence 377 PPC 32 0
Rape 375/376 PPC 30 0
Control of Narcotics Substance Act, 1997 CNSA, 1997 9(c) 2 0
Kidnapping and Abduction 363/364/365/356-A/366/367/369 PPC 2 0
Theft 380/381/381-A/382/411/457/454/367-A 2 0
Anti Terrorism Act 1997 7 ATA 1 0
Civil Prisoner Family Degree Ijra 1 0
Death By Negligence 303/304/308/312/319/321/322 PPC 1 0
Miscellaneous 19 0
Total 122 0
Source: Prison Department, Govt. of Punjab (2022)

The majority of undertrials were booked under the offence of murder (20%), attempt to murder (4%), un-natural offence (17%), robbery/dacoirty (11%), rape (13%), Control of Narcotics Substance Act 1997 (5%), theft (16%) and other crimes(9%).

Nature of Crimes of Undertrials Juveniles

Name of Crime Section Male Female
Murder 302 PPC 106 0
Attempt to Murder 324 PPC 19 0
Unnatural Offence 377 PPC 87 0
Robbery/Dacoity 392/394/395/396 PPC 56 0
Rape 375/376 PPC 69 0
Control of Narcotics Substance Act, 1997 CNSA, 1997 9(b) (c) 25 0
Kidnapping and Abduction 363/364/365/356-A/366/367/369 PPC 8 0
Theft 379/380/381/381-A/382/411/457/454/367-A 82 0
Causing Hurt with blunt/sharp weapon 337(A-N)PPC 8 0
Anti Terrorism Act 1997 7 ATA 4 0
Zina Sec 10(i)(ii)(iii) Zina Ord, 79 4 0
Breach of Peace 107/151 Cr.Pc 6 0
Army Act 38(1) 3 0
Miscellaneous/Others 46 0
TOTAL POPULATION 523 0
Source: Prison Department, Govt. of Punjab (2022)

It is important to examine the issue of undertrial juveniles as it is often reported that many juvenile offenders are unnecessarily held in prison due to delays in court hearings. The prison data does not show number of juvenile delinquents released on probation. Although children are kept in separate barracks in different jails, the Juvenile Justice System Act, 2018, is not being effectively enforced.

Prepared by: Qindeel Shujaat. He can be reached at qindeel@obun2.com 

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