Commissioner of Police Ismail Naveen has stated today that it has been observed during police patrols that minors are routinely seen in areas associated with group crimes.

Speaking at a press conference held by the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology today, the Police Commissioner said more new individuals are now surfacing in the criminal scene than those previously known. Most of these new individuals are young persons aged around 17 to 18 years, he said. 

"Children who completed their O'levels in the most recent batch. Or those who have just turned 18 or 17 are seen at these places. We are seeing 17-year-olds at what we call hotspots, where these groups gather," the Commissioner said. 

"We are seeing this to a highly concerning level now. We advise these children and send them off as they aren't committing any crimes now. But the danger is, they might be pulled into crime in future."

Naveen appealed to parents to make every effort to protect such children from criminal environments. 

At the press conference, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusan said that at present, 220 children exposed to criminal environments are in treatment programs. An additional 162 children who are at risk of the same are also receiving care, the Minister said. 

Under the Juvenile Justice Act which came into effect in 2019, children exposed to or at risk of being exposed to criminal environments must be institutionalized and provided treatment. Though the Act mandated a centre be set up within 18 months, it remained unimplemented even as this administration came to office. 

The juvenile justice system requires different types of centres:

- A detention centre for juvenile offenders

- Long-term juvenile secure facility

- Juvenile residential treatment centre

- Halfway house

- Juvenile long-term care facility

Ihusan said that when this administration had come to office, there had only been one such centre in place: the Juvenile Detention Centre. 

Over the past two years, this administration has established a juvenile residential treatment centre, halfway house and juvenile long-term care facility. 

As per the Juvenile Justice Act, the minimum age of criminal responsibility is 15. Previously, the law read that children bear responsibility for Hadd crimes from age 10 onwards, and for other crimes from age 13. 

Since the minimum age of criminal responsibility was raised to 15, relevant enforcement authorities have voiced concerns that it hinders action against children involved in major crimes. 

The government has announced plans to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 12 years.