Child-Centric Justice in India: A New Paradigm Victimology and Law

Child-Centric Justice in India: A New Paradigm in Victimology and Law presents a comprehensive ten-chapter exploration of how India's criminal justice system must transform to meaningfully protect and empower child victims. The second chapter situates child victimisation within modern victimology, critically analysing classical, positivist, and contemporary theories to demonstrate why child victims require a distinct analytical and legal approach. Subsequent chapters analyse institutional mechanisms such as child-friendly courts, support persons, compensation schemes, investigative procedures, and inter-agency coordination. The role of the judiciary is critically evaluated through landmark decisions that reinforce dignity, confidentiality, and best interest standards. The book also assesses systemic gaps including delays, infrastructural limitations, lack of trained personnel, and uneven implementation across states. It integrates empirical insights, national crime data, and policy developments to demonstrate the growing urgency of reform. Overall, the book argues that embedding a child-centric and victim-oriented approach is not merely a policy choice but a constitutional, ethical, and developmental imperative for building a humane and responsive justice system in India.