In 1986 India's parliament passed the Juvenile Justice Act 1986, nationalizing and standardizing juvenile justice throughout India. This law, which departs radically from former practices, is described in the present article, and data regarding arrests and dispositions before and after passage of the law are examined to assess what, if any, impact this major legal change might have on formal responses to youthful offenders. The reasons that this legislation may have been enacted at this time, and the changes taking place in Indian society that this change in law might suggest, are also discussed.
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