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Editorial

Research project to identify Punjab children falling prey to drugs, being exploited for sex

January 17, 2018 01:22 PM

Punjab News Express
LUDHIANA: The menance of drugs in Punjab is acquring alarming dimensions with no help seems coming from the Punajb Government led by Capt Amarinder Singh. Not only youth but children aare also falling prey to the drug abuse.

Indian Council of Social Science Research, Ministry of Human Resource, New Delhi has started a major research project 'The resarch project “Drug Abuse and Young Offenders in Punjab: Psycho Legal Problem” to identify the children falling prey to drugs and their exploitation by the drug lords.

Dr. Shiv Kumar Dogra, Coordinator for B.A. LL.B (Hons) of University Institute of Law, Panjab University Regional Centre, Ludhiana who has been given the project said that that children were getting hooked to drugs. The children  are forced for sex and offerred drugs in exchange of sex, the study revealed.

He said, there was nexus between street children and commercial sex workers, many of whom abused drugs or alcohol. Children are made to act as pimps or go between in exchange of money, drugs and shelter and sexual favours. Children who get into substance abuse problem are easily prone to delinquent behavior and anti-social activities.


Dr.Shiv Dogra said that the child of today is the citizen of tomorrow, the criminal traits of the youngsters must be suppressed in time so as to prevent them from becoming hardened criminals in future. It is with this aim in view this research project has objective to identify problems relating to drug addiction and Young offenders in Punjab.The Drug abuse among the youth in Punjab is of strategic and societal significance.

He said taht Punjab being located on the Indo-Pakistan border, is the first target of the drug peddlers and of the enemy country. Drugs, when gradually paved into the society, the society starts moving towards the destruction. The person so involved with drug abuse commits a crime his mental state needs to be considered. The whole canvas of drug abuse needs to be observed objectively, as there are number of reasons, why a person becomes slave to this substance abuse.

The factors includes societal pressures (peer groups etc), psychological requirements (family disputes, neglected child etc.) and economical imbalances (poverty, excess money etc.). The young substance abusers are becoming victims of the criminal system, they deserve counselling and rehabilitation not custody.

Dr.Shiv Kumar Dogra said that this research study can be handful to the government for making policies to eradicate this menace and to introduce the specialized programs by identifying the selected groups. Purposively Ten most drug effected Districts of Punjab will be selected and out of that Data will be collected from juvenile observation homes relating to juvenile in conflict with law due to drug addiction and from the prison relating to young offenders (16-21age group) who have committed the crime under the influence of drug addiction.

This Study will also helpful to researchers, NGO who are studying and working on the problem of drug abuse. As per existed studies more than 60% families effected from this problem in Punjab, therefore this study has direct legal, Psychological, social and economic significance also.Addiction to substance abuse especially among the vulnerable youth can directly contribute to high risk lifestyle.

Dr.Shiv Kumar Dogra added that theseThese youth get into illegal activities like gambling, drug peddling, pick pocketing, stealing, fighting, rape and self directed aggression causing self harm to slash themselves with sharp objects especially when they are addicted. Some of the children reported to undergo severe depression and attempt suicide. The children are forced into or paid for or offered drugs in exchange for sex. There was nexus between street children and commercial sex workers, many of whom abused drugs or alcohol.

Children are made to act as pimps or go between in exchange of money, drugs and shelter and sexual favours. Children who get into substance abuse problem are easily prone to delinquent behavior and anti-social activities. Therefore researcher is of the view that research problem is significant to understand the problem of drug abuse among the youth and it’s psychological effect on young offender. The legal, Psychological, Physical and social implications of drug abuse has long lasting effect. The youth of Punjab is facing the problem at large scale and most of families are leading vulnerable and stigmatic life.

Dr.Shiv Kumar Dogra said that the proposed study was most relevant and has legal and has Psychological significance, so as to ascertain the targeted subjects and there social behavior pattern, in order to provide a significant legal framework.

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