The Socio-Psychological Impact of the Juvenile Justice Act: Understanding Its Role in Juvenile Rehabilitation and Reintegration

The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act is India's resolution for child-centred justice, focusing on rehabilitation rather than punishment. In this review, the social-psychological aspects of juvenile justice in India are analysed, focussing on the impact of laws on rehabilitation and reintegration. Building on the developmental, criminology and social work literature, this paper evaluates the psychological well-being, identity development, and social integration of young offenders under the Act. The review identifies successes and ongoing challenges in India's juvenile justice system, such as stigmatisation, institutional limitations, and socio-economic factors to reintegration. Results indicate that the legal framework is relatively progressive; however, there are implementation gaps with a direct impact on rehabilitation effectiveness.