Dated 21st May 2026
The Juvenile Justice Committee (JJC) of the Odisha High Court had observed that the number of children coming into conflict with law was increasing. They wanted to know the reason behind the same and felt that it needed a detailed study. UNICEF Odisha State Office and the Department of Women & Children (WCD) of the Government of Odisha supported the study and engaged SIGMA Foundation through an open selection process.
No similar study had previously been undertaken in the country, and conducting such a study was a major learning experience for SIGMA Foundation. An exploratory phenomenological methodology was adopted and both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from a sample of 64 CCLs representing different types of alleged offences from among around 300 CCLs who were in different homes (Observation Homes, Safe Homes and Places of Safety) across the entire state during the time of the visits and documents (Social Investigation Reports) of around 150 CCLs available at the homes were examined to understand their social background. Criminal Propensity Scores of 64 sampled children were estimated using a structured tool validated through a pilot survey. Qualitative data were collected from around 150 stakeholders such as the Parents of the CCLs, their Siblings and Peers, Probation Officers, Counsellors, Superintendents of the Homes, Security personnel, Principal Magistrates and Members of the Juvenile Justice Board, Police officials, Lawyers, District Child Protection Officers, Member Secretary State and District Legal Service Authorities etc.
The data were analysed and the key findings on the socio-economic background of the CCLs, demographic features, nature of offences allegedly committed, progress of disposal of the cases, status of rehabilitation and reintegration of the children etc. were presented before the Juvenile Justice Committee. Members of the study team namely Dr Satarupa Dutta, Ms Sayantani Banerjee and Ms Srishti Saha led by the President Dr M. N. Roy presented the findings before the three Hon’ble Judges constituting the JJC of the Odisha High Court. Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Women & Child Development Department, Director of the Department, ADG Police looking after juvenile offences, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Odisha and Child Protection Specialist of Odisha UNICEF Mr Manna Biswas, who has been coordinating the study, were present. The formal report will be submitted by early June 2026.