POLICE

Apprehension

 The Act contemplates constitution of a special unit of the police force called 'Special Juvenile Police Unit' (SJPU) to deal with juvenile in conflict with law. In every police station at least one officer, specially instructed and trained, is required to be designated as 'Juvenile or Child Welfare Officer (JCWO) to deal with juvenile. Police is the first person with whom a juvenile comes into contact in the juvenile justice system; thus he is required to havea child friendly approach. Special care is to be taken not to treat the juvenileas a criminal.

 Section 10(1) of JJA 2000 provides for a juvenile to be produced before the JJB within twentyfour hours of his arrest. Detaining a person in custody beyond this period amounts to illegal detention. The Bombay High court in Baban Khandu Rajput vs. state of Maharashtra imposed compensation of Rs. 10,000/- upon the State for keeping the Petitioner in detention for a period of two and half days without producing him before the appropriate authority with mala fide intention without giving any explanation justifying the said detention.