ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses various definitions of the child provided under different Indian legislations. There are numerous legislations in India which lays down the definition of a child. But there is no uniformity as to the definition of a child; it differs from Act to Act. Consequently, the problem of determining the age of criminal responsibility remains unanswered. The cases challenging the constitutional validity of the Juvenile Justice Act have been discussed in this chapter. Further, it also tries to focus on the causes of juvenile delinquency and the preventive measures to curb it. Broken families, poverty, unemployment, immaturity and illiteracy are some of the essential causes of juvenile delinquency that have been critically analyzed.
