The children's age and resultant vulnerability,children are prone to be denied justice in various forms. The recognition of this fact makes it necessary for any society to propound Juvenile Justice whereby the needs of children can be met adequately. This is particularly true in a social matrix where it is believed that children’s needs comprise their rights. In the above context, we need to remember that, over time, the dispensation of justice has been involved with a certain element of rigidity and authority. These ideas have taken shape particularly because, it is in quest for justice, mankind has frequently taken a punitive stand.Emergence of an enlightened humanitarian sciences’ based approach it was realized that, to be effective, justice also needed to acquire a human face. The crux of such thinking lay in accepting the fact that the ultimate aim of justice was rooted in a process that ensured rehabilitation.

India realized the futility of a punishment based approach in curbing crime. Instead increasing attention came to be paid to various factors that led to criminalization of the individual. The solutions apparently lay in avoiding a brutal and punitive approach and, instead, explore various ways by which human beings came to be treated more humanely. The best possible target of this approach comprised children. The Hon’ble Delhi High Court has taken note of the fact that in addition to over 4000 pending cases with juvenile languishing in homes without legal dispositions, there are estimated 5, 00,000 street and working, non-school going children who fall in the category of ‘children in need of care and protection’. Nearly 1,00,000 are destitute and homeless children, thousands being child beggars in the NCT of Delhi and the Government is duty bound to provide care, protection, development and rehabilitation services under the statutory obligations of the Juvenile Justice (Care &Protection of Children) Act under Section 2 (d). The existing shelter facilities for suchchildren/juveniles (both governmental and non-governmental) are 2,430 including Prayas’ run six juvenile homes / shelters with a capacity of 890 children. It may also be noted that several districts do not have the basic legal infrastructure and services of child protection and police stations have not set-up Special Juvenile Police units and designated, trained Child Welfare Officers, as required under the Act. However, despite all the laws and acts taking place, there is still a lack of understanding about the Act and delivery of services. In this context, a training programme has been organized with the support of NIPCCD, New Delhi at the request of Department of Women and Child Development, Government of Delhi to sensitize and orient functionaries working under the JJ system, Members of Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committees, Probation Officers, Police officials and NGOs dealing with JJ system. The training programme, it is hoped that the participants would have a clear understanding of constitutional provisions, child protection, child psychology and provisions and roles and responsibilities laid down under the Juvenile Justice Act and Model Rules concerning them. Kindly note in your Diary State level Training and Sensitization Programme on Juvenile Justice organized by Prayas Institute of Juvenile Justice with the support of NIPCCD, Delhi 27-29 March 2008.