Juveniles do community service in Chennai government hospitals

Chennai: A novel initiative by the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), aimed at reforming  juveniles booked in hit and run cases, by asking them to perform community service at government hospitals has been welcomed by activists and doctors.

This initiative is better than sending them to juvenile homes, thereby helping the youngsters feel reformed. Of the three cases that the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) has seen so far, the first offender seemed genuinely interested in making amends by performing the service, while the second was a permanent absentee. The third offender, Abhinav (name changed), who began his service on Saturday, promised to complete his tenure.  

This 16-year-old resident  of Kotturpuram had collided into a bike on Chamiers Road recently. Fearing severe punishment, he was relieved when he was ordered to perform community service at the hospital’s casualty ward.

“I will surely come to the hospital, as expected of me, every weekend for two months, to perform the service,” said the class 12 student of Government Higher Secondary School, Nandanam.   

Fourteen-year-old Muthu (name changed), on the other hand, was expected to perform services at the hospital daily for a month – which was to end on Saturday — for the accident he was involved in a year and a half ago. Despite the JJB’s attempts to give him an opportunity to change, the juvenile seemed least interested. “The boy worked only for three days, during which heshowed no interest in his work,” said Casualty Medical Officer at the Hospital.

“We waited for him for a few days before we sent an intimation report to the XII Metropolitan Magistrate, Juvenile Justice Board, that had sent him,” said Resident Medical Officer at the Hospital.

“Muthu is a school dropout and a very irresponsible child who troubles his parents. Even now, he doesn’t want to complete the community service as ordered by the court. He took my van in my absence and met with the accident,” said Murugan, a close relative.

“Such orders by the juvenile court are not new. It has been in practice for a while to help juveniles reform,” said advocate V. Stephen Raj, who represented Abhinav in the court.