Transcript
VICTIMOLOGY in INDIA
“Master in Criminal Justice”
By: By: Ric B Altare!"s Altare!"s
Intr"&ucti"n
Acr"ss t#e $l"%e in &i'erent c"untries( )ictims "* crime are +r"tecte&( assiste&( restitute& an& c"m+ensate& %y a++r"+riate la,s an& acts But in In&ia t#e )ictims "* crime +lay "nly an insi$ni-cant r"le in t#e criminal !ustice +r"cess In recent times( am"n$ t#e many re*"rms can)asse& *"r im+r")in$ t#e criminal !ustice system is t#e "ne t#at a&)"cates a )ictim. "rientati"n t" criminal !ustice a&ministrati"n
Victim."rientati"n inclu&es $reater res+ect an& c"nsi&erati"n t",ar&s )ictims an& t#eir ri$#ts in t#e in)esti$ati)e an& +r"secuti"n +r"cess( +r")isi"ns *"r $reater c#"ices t" )ictims in trial an& &is+"siti"n "* t#e accuse&( an& a sc#eme "* re+arati"n/c"m+ensati"n +articularly *"r )ictims "* )i"lent crimes 0Ma&#a)a Men"n( 1223: 451. 4546 T#"u$# t#ere are s"me +r")isi"ns un&er t#e In&ian C"nstituti"n an& s"me secti"ns in t#e C"&e "* Criminal 7r"ce&ure( 894 t" +r"tect t#e ri$#ts "* t#e )ictims an& *"r +r")i&in$ c"m+ensati"n( t#e criminal c"urts at t#e l",er le)el in In&ia #a)e i$n"re& t#"se +r")isi"ns *"r a l"n$ time an& n"t utili;e&
But it is #eartenin$ t" "%ser)e t#at se)eral !u&$ments in %"t# t#e istin$ +r")isi"ns un&er t#e In&ian criminal la,s( a c"nsi&era%le im+"rtance ,as $i)en in t#e Re+"rt "* t#e C"mmittee "n Re*"rms "* Criminal Justice =ystem( #ea&e& %y Justice V = Malimat# "n t#e nee& t" +r")i&e “!ustice t" )ictims "* crime”
?n&er t#ese circumstances( t#e +resent +a+er inclu&es an ")er)ie, "* t#e crime )ictimi;ati"n an& t#e +resent le$al +r")isi"ns ,#ic# are a)aila%le t" +r"tect t#e )ictims "* crime in In&ia T#e +a+er als" #as %rie@ y analy;e& s"me "* t#e lan&mar !u&$ments t#at #a)e +r")i&e& !ustice t" )ictims "* crime inally( t#e +resent +a+er +r")i&es certain +ractical su$$esti"ns tain$ int" acc"unt t#e e>+eriences at t#e internati"nal le)el t" im+r")e t#e c"n&iti"n "* crime )ictims in In&ia
Crime Scenario in India
Ta%le 8 +r")i&es an ")er)ie, "* t#e crime scenari" in In&ia In t#e year 1223( t#ere ,as a s#ar+ increase in t#e num%er "* cases re$istere& an& in t#e year 122( t#e num%er "* cases re$istere& &ecline& &rastically %y 85 +ercent ,#en c"m+are& t" t#e year 1223 In t#e year 1223( t#e In&ian 7enal C"&e 0I7C6 an& =+ecial an& L"cal La,s 0=LL6 crimes c"nstitute& 423 an& 595 +ercent( res+ecti)ely an& &urin$ 122( 54 +ercent acc"unte& *"r =LL crimes an& 454 +ercent *"r I7C crimes T#e rate 0+er 8(22(222 +"+ulati"n6 "* t"tal I7C an& =LL crimes ,as 3 in 122( s#",in$ a &ecline ")er t#e +re)i"us
Ta%le 8 . C"$ni;a%le8 crimes re$istere& in In&ia &urin$ 1228E 122
S. NO.
YEAR
NUMBER OF OFFENSES
I7C
=LL
TOTAL
Ratio IPC:SL L
Rate per (1!!!!! pop"#ation $
1.
1228
8(59(42
4((142
4(33(4
8:821
123
&.
1221
8(2(442
4(35(89
(15(1
8:182
152
'.
1224
8(85(812
4((593
3(93(83
8:112
833
.
1223
8(41(28
38(95(55
52(1(8
8:142
4
).
122
8(11(521
41(24(4
2(15(44
8:85
3
Acc"r&in$ t" Crime in In&ia( 122 0" cial crime statistics c"m+ile& an& +u%lis#e& %y t#e Nati"nal Crime Rec"r&s Bureau( Ministry "* <"me A' airs( G")ernment "* In&ia6( 49 +ercent "* t#e "' ences ,ere crimes a$ainst %"&y( crimes a$ainst +r"+erty ,ere 44 +ercent( crime a$ainst +u%lic "r&er ,ere 9 +ercent( ec"n"mic crimes ,ere 54 +ercent( 1 +ercent "* t#e cases c"mes un&er %ur$lary( t#e*t c"mes t" 13 +ercent an& s" "n T#ere ,as an increase "* a%"ut 488 +er cent in t#e num%er "* cases re$istere& un&er c#eatin$( a #i$# +ercenta$e "* increase 053 +ercent6 ,as seen in im+"rtati"n "* $irls 0*r"m *"rei$n c"untry61 ( 8 +ercent increase
,as seen in cases re$istere& un&er Narc"tic Dru$s an& 7syc#"tr"+ic =u%stances Act( 89( 84 +ercent increase in $am%lin$( a #u$e +ercenta$e 088956 "* increase ,as seen in cases re$istere& un&er In&ecent Re+resentati"n "* H"men 07r"#i%iti"n6 Act( 895( als" 54 +ercent increase ,as seen in c"+yri$#t )i"lati"ns 0Nati"nal Crime Rec"r&s Bureau( 1225:48E49 6 Als"( nati"nal crime statistics s#", a $rim +icture "* ,"mens status in In&ia( ,#ic# is &ri)en %y s"cial( ec"n"mic an& cultural *act"rs An analysis "* t#e " cial statistics *"r In&ia *"r t#e +eri"& 8998E1228 s#",s an ")erall increase in t#e crimes c"mmitte& a$ainst ,"men
Durin$ t#e +eri"&( t#ere ,as an increase in t#e "' ence "* ra+e c"mmitte& "n ,"men %y 43 +ercent( cruelty %y #us%an& an& relati)es %y 8841 +ercent( an& m"lestati"n %y 5 +ercent 0=rini)asan( 12236 T#e a%")e statistics +r")i&e a %ir&s eye )ie, "n t#e nature an& e>tent "* crime )ictimi;ati"n in In&ia Besi&es( &ata a%"ut t#e l"ss "* li)es &ue t" natural calamities an& c"nseuent misery is really min& %"$$lin$ T" cite an e>am+le( in Decem%er 1223( &ue t" Tsunami( t#"usan&s "* li)es ,ere l"st an& #un&re&s "* +e"+leK+articularly c#il&ren an& ,"menK,ere "r+#ane& in t#e =tate "* Tamil Na&u al"ne =uc# +e"+le are als" )ulnera%le t" )ari"us *"rms "* crime )ictimi;ati"n
T#e im+act "* )ictimi;ati"n "n &i'erent in&s "* )ictims &ue t" &i'erent ty+es "* crimes #as %een )arie& suc# as +#ysical( +syc#"l"$ical an& - nancial Researc#ers #a)e in&icate& t#at t#e im+act "* )ictimi;ati"n n"t "nly a'ects t#e )ictim %ut als" t#e )ictims imme&iate *amily an& ne>t "* in( relati)es( nei$#%"rs an& acuaintances T#is #"l&s true *"r t#e em"ti"nal as ,ell as t#e -nancial c"nseuences an& t#e e' ects can last *"r a *e, m"nt#s "r years "r in s"me cases *"r li*e l"n$ +ect retaliati"n "r retri%uti"n t" t#eir "' en&ers( many )ictims are *"un& t" %e intereste& in rest"rati)e a++r"ac#es in "r&er t" &eal ,it# &is+utes rat#er t#an +unis#ments an& +enalties t" t#e "'en&er One rec"$ni;e& met#"& "* +r"tecti"n "* )ictims is c"m+ensati"n t" )ictims "* crime "r +r")i&in$ m"netary c"m+ensati"n an& *"r +r"tectin$ certain "t#er ri$#ts "* t#e )ictims( t#ere are s"me +r")isi"ns %"t# in t#e C"nstituti"nal La, "* In&ia an& in t#e criminal la,s
C"nstituti"nal La, "* In&ia an& Victims "* Crime
T#e c"nstellati"n "* clauses &ealin$ ,it# un&amental Ri$#ts 07art III6 an& Directi)e 7rinci+les "* =tate 7"licy 07art IV6 lai& t#e *"un&ati"n *"r a ne, s"cial "r&er in ,#ic# !ustice( s"cial an& ec"n"mic( ,"ul& @",er in t#e nati"nal li*e "* t#e c"untry 0Article 46 Article 38( ,#ic# #as rele)ance t" )ictim"l"$y in a ,i&er +ers+ecti)e( man&ates( inter alia( t#at t#e state s#all mae e' ecti)e +r")isi"n *"r “securin$ +u%lic assistance in cases "* &isa%lement an& in "t#er cases "* un&eser)e& ,ant”
=urely( crime )ictims an& "t#er )ictimi;e& +e"+le s,im int" t#e #a)en "* Article 38 Article 8.A maes it a *un&amental &uty "* e)ery citi;en "* In&ia “t" +r"tect an& im+r")e t#e natural en)ir"nment an& t" #a)e c"m+assi"n *"r li)in$ creatures” an& “t" &e)el"+ #umanism” I* em+at#etically inter+rete& an& ima$inati)ely e>+an&e&( ,e -n& #ere t#e c"nstituti"nal %e$innin$s "* )ictim"l"$y 0ris#na Iyer( 89996 urt#er( t#e $uarantee a$ainst un!usti-e& &e+ri)ati"n "* li*e an& li%erty 0Article 186 #as in it elements "%li$atin$ t#e state t" c"m+ensate )ictims "* criminal )i"lence 0Basu( 12246
7r")isi"ns in In&ian Criminal La,s
T#e C"&e "* Criminal 7r"ce&ure( 894 #as rec"$ni;e& t#e +rinci+le "* )ictim c"m+ensati"n =ecti"n 12 aut#"ri;es ma$istrates t" &irect c"m+lainants "r in*"rmants t" +ay c"m+ensati"n t" +e"+le accuse& %y t#em ,it#"ut reas"na%le cause A$ain =ecti"n 4 em+",ers t#e c"urt t" "r&er a +ers"n t" +ay c"m+ensati"n t" an"t#er +ers"n *"r causin$ a +"lice "cer t" arrest suc# "t#er +ers"n ,r"n$*ully
inally( =ecti"n 4 ena%les t#e c"urt im+"sin$ a sentence in a criminal +r"cee&in$ t" $rant c"m+ensati"n t" t#e )ictim an& "r&er t#e +ayment "* c"sts "* t#e +r"secuti"n <",e)er( t#is is "n t#e &iscreti"n "* t#e sentencin$ c"urt an& is t" %e +ai& "ut "* t#e - ne rec")ere& T#"u$# t#e +rinci+le un&erlyin$ =ecti"n 4 "* t#e C"&e "* Criminal 7r"ce&ure( 894 is )ery muc# t#e same s"u$#t t" %e ac#ie)e& %y t#e ?N Basic 7rinci+les "* Justice *"r Victims "* Crime( its sc"+e is e>tremely limite& as:
8 T#e secti"n a++lies "nly ,#en t#e accuse& is c"n)icte& 1 It is su%!ect t" rec")ery "* -ne *r"m t#e accuse& ,#en -ne is +art "* t#e sentence 4 H#en -ne is n"t im+"se& as +art "* t#e sentence( t#e ma$istrate may "r&er any am"unt t" %e +ai& %y ,ay "* c"m+ensati"n *"r any l"ss "r in!ury %y reas"n "* t#e act *"r ,#ic# t#e accuse& +ers"n #as %een s" sentence& 0=ec 40466 an& 3 In a,ar&in$ t#e c"m+ensati"n( t#e ma$istrate is t" c"nsi&er t#e ca+acity "* t#e accuse& t" +ay
Gi)en t#e l", rates "* c"n)icti"n in criminal cases 0less t#an 82 +ercent6( t#e in"r&inate &elay in t#e c"nclusi"n "* +r"cee&in$s an& t#e relati)ely l", ca+acity "* t#e a)era$e accuse& +ers"ns( it is +re+"ster"us t" say t#at a )ictim c"m+ensati"n sc#eme really "+erates in a&ministrati"n "* !ustice in In&ia 0Ma&#a)a Men"n( 1223: 4546 Besi&es t#e a%")e +r")isi"ns relatin$ t" restituti"n t" )ictims un&er t#e C"&e "* Criminal 7r"ce&ure( 894( =ecti"n "* t#e 7r"%ati"n "* O'en&ers Act( 89 #as als" em+",ere& t#e c"urts t" reuire release& "'en&ers t" +ay t#e restituti"n an& c"sts as un&er:
8 T#e c"urt &irectin$ t#e release "* an "'en&er un&er =ecti"n 4 "r =ecti"n 3 may( i* it t#ins - t( mae at t#e same time a *urt#er "r&er &irectin$ #im t" +ay: a =uc# restituti"n as t#e c"urt t#ins reas"na%le *"r l"ss "r in!ury cause& t" any +ers"n %y t#e c"mmissi"n "* t#e "'ence an& % =uc# c"st "* t#e +r"cee&in$ as t#e c"urt t#ins reas"na%le 1 T#e am"unt "r&ere& t" %e +ai& un&er su%secti"n 086 may %e rec")ere& as a -ne in acc"r&ance ,it# t#e +r")isi"ns "* =ecti"ns 4 an& 4 "* t#e C"&e
4 A ci)il c"urt tryin$ any suit "ut "* t#e same manner *"r ,#ic# t#e "' en&er is +rescri%e&( s#all tae int" acc"unt “any am"unt +ai& "r rec")ere& as restituti"n un&er su%secti"n 086 in a,ar&in$ &ama$es” 0Ranc##"&&as an& T#a"re( 12216 In
a&&iti"n t" t#e e>istin$ +r")isi"ns un&er t#e In&ian criminal la,s( a c"nsi&era%le im+"rtance ,as $i)en in t#e Re+"rt "* t#e C"mmittee "n Re*"rms "* Criminal Justice =ystem( #ea&e& %y Justice V = Malimat# "n
C"mmittee "n Re*"rms "* Criminal Justice =ystem T#e G")ernment "* In&ia( Ministry "* <"me A'airs %y its "r&er &ate& 13 N")em%er 1222 c"nstitute& t#e C"mmittee "n Re*"rms "* Criminal Justice =ystem t" c"nsi&er measures *"r re)am+in$ t#e criminal !ustice system One "* t#e "%!ecti)es "* t#e c"mmittee ,as “t" su$$est ,ays an& means "* &e)el"+in$ syner$y am"n$ t#e !u&iciary( t#e +r"secuti"n an& t#e +"lice t" rest"re t#e c"n-&ence "* t#e c"mm"n man in t#e criminal !ustice system %y +r"tectin$ t#e inn"cent an& t#e )ictim an& %y +unis#in$ uns+arin$ly t#e $uilty an& t#e criminal” H#ile re*errin$ t" t#e +"siti"n "* )ictims in
t#e le$al ri$#ts an& +r"tecti"n t#ey &eser)e t" +lay t#eir !ust r"le in criminal +r"cee&in$s ,#ic# ten& t" result in &isintereste&ness in t#e +r"cee&in$s an& c"nseuent &ist"rti"ns in t#e criminal !ustice a&ministrati"n” 0G")ernment "* In&ia( 1224: 6 Hit# t#is $eneral "%ser)ati"n t#e c"mmittee re)ie,e& t#e +"siti"n "* )ictims un&er t#e criminal !ustice system( inclu&in$ t#e +resent r"le t#at t#e )ictim is assi$ne& un&er t#e e>istin$ criminal la, +r")isi"ns *"r c"m+ensati"n "* )ictims "* crime an& s" "n T#e re+"rt #as als" #i$#li$#te& #", t#e =u+reme C"urt an& t#e am+les "* t#e li%eral +aca$e "* relie*s an& reme&ies *"r$e& %y t#e a+e> c"urt T#e &ecisi"ns in Nila%ati Be#era) =tate "* Orissa08994 1 =CC 356 an& in C#airman( Rail,ay B"ar&) C#an&rima Das01222 Cr LJ 834 =C( cite& in G")ernment "* In&ia( 1224: 86 are illustrati)e "* t#is ne, tren& "* usin$ c"nstituti"nal !uris&icti"n t" &" !ustice t" t#e )ictims "* crime =u%stantial m"netary c"m+ensati"ns #a)e %een a,ar&e& a$ainst t#e instrumentalities "* t#e state *"r t#e *ailure t" +r"tect t#e ri$#ts "* t#e )ictims”
