Majority of child criminals are involved in petty crimes, but are branded criminals for the rest of their lives. Surat police and NGOs are trying to put them on the path of a dignified life.
Once branded a criminal, a person can do little to get back his dignity and the respect of society. For a child, the stigma follows him or her through life. While society shuns child criminals the police department is no kinder.
In an exception, the Surat police department with a unique model has taken a step to change the life of child criminals in the city. With the help of a city-based NGO, Samaj Sikshan Samithi, it is teaching these juvenile delinquents how to make an honourable living.
The aim is to provide employment oriented training to children, who are arrested in different criminal cases. "We are starting mobile repair course for children. At present, 40 children have enrolled for this training. The course is of 15 days and it will start shortly in Limbayat," Kalpesh Yagnik, who is associated with NGO, said. Apart from free training, kits will also be provided to the children, if necessary.
Majority of child criminals are involved in pick-pocketing, bag-lifting, parcel stealing and similar petty crimes. As most of them belong to the weaker section of society, the police department and NGO have initiated attempts to educate their parents too. Embroidery work, hand embroidery and applying mehendi are being taught to family members of the children.
"Two batches of 100 women have completed these three courses and are now earning handsomely. The main reason children take to crime is poverty, as it offers easy and quick money. But now many of them understand the importance of working in a respectable trade and earning," Kinnary Patel, who conducted the courses, said.
"This will definitely motivate them to earn through honest means rather than adopt short-cuts. When we told the child criminals about the mobile repair course, they were pleasantly surprised. All 40 students are eagerly waiting for the course to begin," Sanjay Srivastav, joint CP (range -II), said.
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