The Criminal Justice system of any country broadly refers to agencies of the government charged with enforcing law, adjudicating crime, and correcting criminal conduct. The main objective of the criminal justice system is 'deterrence', ie., to punish the 'transgressors and the criminals' and to maintain law and order in the society. Globally, children and young people are routinely exposed to various forms of violence if they are before the criminal justice system. They are at risk of physical and psychological abuse, sexual assault, and other harms, including inadequate educational opportunities, poor and outdated vocational training. They face several challenges including mental, emotional, and behavioural disorders. Children, who are victims of violence or exposed to violence during childhood, are more likely to have difficulty in school, abuse drugs or alcohol, act aggressively, suffer from depression or other mental health problems and engage in criminal behaviour as adults.
[Extracted, with edits and revisions from "Child Rights in the Criminal Justice System: Need for Law Reform" written by Dr. Asha Bajpai published in the Journal of the National Human Rights Commission, India].
Which of the following issues, children, who are victims of violence during childhood face in life, as per the author of the above passage?
- They may have difficulties in school
- They may abuse drugs or alcohol and suffer from mental health problems
- They may act aggressively and engage in criminal behaviour
- All of the above
The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
- Experience difficulties in school.
- Abuse drugs or alcohol and suffer from mental health problems.
- Act aggressively and engage in criminal behaviour.
What is the primary objective of the criminal justice system as mentioned in the passage?
- Rehabilitation of offenders
- Punishment of the offenders
- Reformation of the offenders
- Protection of victims from the offender
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
The primary objective of the criminal justice system, as mentioned in the passage, is 'deterrence'. This is elaborated in the passage as the act of punishing 'transgressors and the criminals' to maintain law and order in society. Consequently, the correct answer aligns with the given option:
- Punishment of the offenders
The comprehension emphasizes the role of the criminal justice system in enforcing law, adjudicating crime, and correcting criminal conduct
| Objective | Punishment of offenders |
|---|
The function of deterrence serves the purpose of punishing offenders to establish a societal norm of lawful behavior, thereby discouraging crimes.
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in India is responsible for:
- Conducting forensic investigation of Records of Criminals
- Maintaining a national database of fingerprints of Criminals
- Compiling and analysing crime data
- Maintaining a national database of enforcement of criminal laws
The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
The correct answer to the question regarding NCRB's responsibilities is:Compiling and analysing crime data.
Which category had the highest number of cases under crimes against children according to the NCRB Report 2021?
- POCSO
- Kidnapping and abduction
- Sexual Offences
- All of the above
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
The number of crimes against children in 2021 totaled 1,49,404 instances. Of these, 53,874 were registered under POCSO Sections. Sexual offences accounted for a significant portion but not the highest. To determine the category with the highest cases, we must evaluate the data for each option:
- POCSO: 53,874 cases
- Sexual Offences: The report mentions a decline in 2021, totaling 31,170 cases.
- Kidnapping and Abduction: This category accounted for the highest percentage.
Which one of the following is the correct expansion of the term POCSO used in the passage?
- Protection of Children from Sexual Offences
- Prosecution of Criminals of Sexual Offences
- Protection of Children & Women from Sexual Offences
- None of the above
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
The correct expansion of the term POCSO, as used in the passage, is Protection of Children from Sexual Offences.
The POCSO Act is a comprehensive law enacted by the Government of India to protect children from offenses of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and pornography while safeguarding the interests of the child at every stage of the judicial process by incorporating child-friendly mechanisms for reporting, recording of evidence, investigation, and speedy trial of offenses through designated Special Courts.
In the provided passage, references are made to crimes against children, and significant percentages of cases are noted under the POCSO Act, highlighting its role as a vital legal mechanism in addressing sexual offenses against minors. This context confirms that the expansion of POCSO is indeed "Protection of Children from Sexual Offences," supporting its key purpose of ensuring child safety through the legal framework.
What risks do children face when exposed to the criminal justice system as per the passage?
- Limited access to vocational training
- Exposed to risk of physical abuse
- Mental health challenges and behavioural disorders
- All of the above
The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
- Limited Access to Vocational Training: The passage indicates that children in these environments often face inadequate educational opportunities, and are subjected to poor and outdated vocational training.
- Exposed to Risk of Physical Abuse: The text outlines that globally, when children are before the criminal justice system, they are routinely exposed to various forms of violence, including physical and psychological abuse.
- Mental Health Challenges and Behavioural Disorders: Children exposed to such environments are at high risk of developing mental, emotional, and behavioural disorders. These challenges can manifest as difficulties in school, substance abuse, aggression, depression, and may even lead to criminal behavior in adulthood.
The correct answer to the question, “What risks do children face when exposed to the criminal justice system as per the passage?” is indeed All of the above, as all the mentioned options are valid risks that children face in this context.
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On the night of October 12th, the "Sunburst Medallion" was stolen from the highly secured display case in the city museum. The theft occurred sometime between the museum closing at 10:00 PM and the night guard, Mr. Hemant, completing his final round at 1:00 AM. Three primary suspects were identified, all of whom had recently been dismissed from their museum positions: Anjali, the former curator; Bharat, the former security expert; and Chitra, the former exhibits designer.
Here are the established facts and their alibis:
- The security system logs show that the display case was opened using a specific five-digit code, which only Anjali and the museum director (who was out of the country) knew.
- Bharat's alibi is that he was at a distant relative's birthday party from 8:00 PM to 1:30 AM. Multiple independent witnesses confirmed his presence throughout the entire period.
- Chitra's alibi is that she was working late at a downtown graphic design studio. A time-stamped security camera from the studio's entrance shows her entering at 7:00 PM and exiting at 11:45 PM. The studio is a 20-minute drive from the museum.
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One day, the children in the family turned these symbols into a playful code. Instead of introducing their parents and siblings in words, they spoke only in symbols. “Look,” giggled little Meena, “\( M + N \div O \)!” Everyone laughed, because they knew it meant Meena was the daughter of \( N \), and \( N \) was the mother of \( O \), making her \( O \)’s sister. What started as a code soon became a family game, making the bonds of father, mother, daughter, and brother not just relations, but symbols of love and togetherness. (165 words)
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- Rule 2 (Fixed Appearance): The Yellow team (Y) must play in Round B.
- Rule 3 (Positional Constraint): The Red team (R) must play against the Blue team (B) in a round that is immediately before a round in which neither R nor B is playing.
- Rule 4 (Timing): The Blue team's (B) first match must occur in an earlier round than the Green team's (G) first match.
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(193 words)
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The survey covered 1,80,000 adults across urban and rural areas. Urban residents formed 55% of the sample (that is, 99,000 people) while rural residents made up 45% (that is, 81,000 people). In each area, coverage was classified under four heads – Public schemes, Private insurance, Employer-provided coverage, and Uninsured. In urban areas, Public coverage accounted for 28% of the urban population, Private for 22%, Employer for 18%, and the remaining 32% were Uninsured. In rural areas, where formal coverage is generally lower, Public coverage stood at 35%, Private at 10%, Employer at 8%, while 47% were Uninsured.
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