Juvenile and Youth Justice, Delinquency, and Entrepreneurship: An Integrated Socio-Legal Perspective

Title of the Article Juvenile and Youth Justice, Delinquency, and Entrepreneurship:An Integrated Socio-Legal Perspective Author and Affiliation Mr. Ganesh Shrirang Nale (Satarkar)Department of SociologyCentral University of HaryanaMahendragarh – 123031, Haryana, IndiaEmail: ganeshnale0@gmail.com Abstract Juvenile and youth justice represents a critical dimension of contemporary criminal justice systems, reflecting a society’s commitment to child rights, social welfare, and rehabilitative justice. This article presents an integrated socio-legal and developmental analysis of juvenile and youth justice, delinquency, and preventive strategies, with particular emphasis on the Indian legal framework under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, as amended. The study critically examines institutional mechanisms such as Juvenile Justice Boards, Child Welfare Committees, observation homes, special homes, aftercare services, and the role of the juvenile police unit. It situates Indian practices within international child rights standards, notably the United Nations Beijing Rules and the Riyadh Guidelines. Moving beyond conventional legal analysis, the article explores entrepreneurship, gender inclusion, self-help groups, micro-credit systems, women’s participation in agribusiness, and emerging technologies as preventive and rehabilitative tools for youth at risk. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach that integrates law, sociology, criminology, gender studies, and development economics, the article argues that sustainable juvenile justice requires coordinated legal safeguards, inclusive economic opportunities, gender-sensitive planning, and long-term social development strategies. The study contributes to contemporary debates on child-centric justice by emphasizing prevention, rehabilitation, and social reintegration over punitive responses. Keywords Juvenile justice, juvenile delinquency, youth crime, child protection, entrepreneurship, gender mainstreaming, aftercare services, rehabilitation, international standards. Publication Details Journal: Haut ISSN: 0938-2216 Volume: 24 Issue: 1 Year of Publication: 2026 Article Type: Research Article Discipline: Sociology / Criminology / Socio-Legal Studies