Life Desk :
Any child can take part of any kind of offence or crime due to bad company. Also they commit crime because of the pressure of any other person. After the crime the children might be punished legally. But if any children is brought to the police station, it is also mentioned at law that how the accused children will be treated there. At Children Act 2013 it is also mentioned that if a child is taken to police station then they will not interrogate like a criminal and they must get an affectionate treatment there. Under Children Act 2013 it is also informed to each Thana from Ministry that each Thana must establish a Children help desk. Also the Help Desk should look alike a class room. By doing such the children will not feel that s/he is not a criminal.If a children treated as a criminal then later s/he might have mental disorder and have the risk to get involved in crime in large scale. At last the children will hand over to his family and also he will be kept under the observation of a Probation officer.
It is strictly mentioned in chapter 13 of children act 2013 about children help desk and children related police responsibilities. There it is also mentioned that each police station must have a help desk. The Sub-inspector is the in-charge of the help desk. The female Sub- Inspectors will get priority in this case. The officer, who is responsible for Children Help Desk, is also known as Child Officer.
In 14 no article it is also mentioned about the responsibilities of children related responsibilities of police. It is also mentioned that for child related case, there must be individual register for each children. If any child is taken to the police station the probation officer must be informed and also the guardian of the child need to be informed. The accused child should not feel as a criminal. The primary health care should be provided to the children if they need any. The basic needs of the children should be fulfilled, birth registration of the children will be checked. This indicates that taking care of Children like your own child can create a visible change inside the accused children also.
Apart from this each Thana have child related officer. For this reason there is 42 children get diversion during last 9 month. Now these children are not criminals. They are leading a very normal life like other children. Among the diverted people some are now continuing their study and some have been to their work place.
For implementing diversion and practice that at practical level JJS (Jagrata Juba Shanga), an organization working for children related issues, is working with the support of UNICEF. The project coordinator MM Chisty stated that to create a strong juvenile justice system in Khulna city JJS is working with Judiciary, Police and DSS.
Under this project JJS is also working for creating a child protection mechanism at community level. He also said that JJS will also help to establish child help desk at Khulna KMP and Jessore Sadar.
A child of Daulatpur Thana said that he was dropped out school being having bad company inside his own area. And with those bad companies he was involved in crime. He also informed that now after diversion and counselling he is regular to his school and continuing his study very sincerely. The boy is also a member of”Sharna Adolescent Club” which is a part of PMRC Project. PMRC Project is a joint project of JJS and UNICEF.
His aim is to become a driver after completing his study and will support his parents.
3 no ward Councilor Md. Abdus Salam appreciated the diversion practice and taking the children back to normal life again. He also said that police should be more flexible in such case. If a children get proper counselling instead of mental and physical torture they will get a new happy life.
Focusing on this issue ADC Sonali Sen said that to provide family like care, the child related police are separated at each police station now.
These officers are trained for tackling these issues. Mainly these officers are responsible for maintaining the cases of children conflict with law, children in contact with law and the children living in the street. At the last part of 2013, the children act 2013 was started to implement at KMP. The diversion practice was started significantly from 2016. It is also mentioned by Sonali Sen that implementation of this act is very important for all children and all people. This diversion will also reduce the rate of adolescent crime.
So if adolescent child get the proper care and diversion then bad people will not able to involve the innocent child in crime also.
JJS Executive Director ATM Zakir Hossain said that, JJS is working for providing the protection for the children conflict with law and also the children contact with law. He also invited all the relevant persons and departments to work hand by hand for the betterment of the children. If all are active and try to give a better protection to the children of all sectors then the society will be more liveable place and child crime will be reduced in a significant rate.
