Retired Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B. Lokur expressed concern over the juvenile justice system, stating, “Juvenile justice system understaffed, probation not given importance,” and highlighted the ineffective implementation of the Probation of Offenders Act in India.
Retired Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B. Lokur raised concerns regarding the understaffing of the Juvenile Justice system in India, noting that the Probation of Offenders Act has not been effectively implemented.
He highlighted that a single probation officer is often responsible for observing between 150 to 500 children in conflict with the law.
Reflecting on his visit to Canada in the 2000s for a judicial education program, he mentioned that each probation officer there manages only 30 to 35 probationers. Justice Lokur advocated for the recruitment of more probation officers across India.
He made these remarks 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 project of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai (TISS), in collaboration with the Department of Social Work at the University of Delhi.
The event took place on June 6 and 7, 2025, at the India International Centre in New Delhi.
As the Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker, Justice Lokur, who currently serves as the Chairperson of the UN Internal Justice Council, addressed a diverse audience. Other notable attendees included Bharat Parashar, Member Secretary (In-Charge) of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), who was the Guest of Honour, along with 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.
Participants included representatives from 20 states and one Union Territory, Principal Magistrates of Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs), Social Work Members of JJBs, Probation Officers, Legal-cum-Probation Officers, government officials, civil society members, academics, research scholars, and lawyers.
During the event, Bharat Parashar emphasized the crucial role of Probation Officers (POs) and Legal-cum-Probation Officers (LCPOs) in the juvenile justice system. He pointed out the numerous challenges they face that hinder their effectiveness and stressed the importance of empowering POs to truly strengthen the probation system.
Adding that NALSA is committed to this mission. He stated,
“Every child deserves a second chance and should not be re-traumatized,”
Parashar remarked that POs have the potential to significantly impact mentoring children.
Prof. Bipin Jojo noted that the legal framework for probation in India was initially developed at TISS in the early 1950s and that the institute has remained dedicated to advancing the cause of strengthening probation in the country.
Meanwhile, Prof. Sanjoy Roy highlighted that this was the first time these two leading social work institutions have collaborated to host a National Consultation aimed at bolstering probation, describing it as a timely and necessary initiative.
Over the two days of the consultation, three panel sessions addressed 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 vital role of probation in rehabilitation, pointing out issues such as high ratios of probationers to officers and the need for enhanced 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 within the juvenile justice system was also screened at the event.
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