This refers to the article, “What is being done is clearly not enough” (June 24) Hiranmay Karelkar. last year, while releasing the juvenile accused in the Nirbhaya rape and murder case, the court showed sound jurisprudence and did not go overboard by being vindictive. It argued that the penalties imposed should be proportionate to the crime at hand. The severity of punishment often contradicts the reform process and scars those in conflict with law for life, even if they display remorse and a desire to reform themselves and not transgress the law again. This verdict fuelled the need for a reasoned examination of the dilemma on whether the establishment can bring down instances of crime by resting solely on the deterrent effect of criminal penalties. Parliament could finally build a consensus and shun partisan politics to pass the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2015, and plug several grey areas of law.
However, even today, one can feel the dearth of nuts-and-bolts measures, like enhanced funding for forensic investigations, upgrading training of police to deal with sexual crimes, and making expert post-trauma support available to victims. Strict laws are necessary to instill fear of law in the mind of potential criminals so that it renders them incapable of even contemplating monstrous acts, particularly against women. At the same time, reforms are needed.