Pooja* was just 16 when accused of murdering her mother in Uttar Pradesh. Arrested in 2018, she was sent straight to adult prison. Her lawyer told police she was a minor but she was not brought before a Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) as required by law. Yamina Rizvi, Pooja's new lawyer in 2024, said, "JJBs are also required to make regular visits to prisons to check if minors have been lodged there. But not a single check was conducted while Pooja was in prison." Pooja spent six years in an adult jail while waiting for her case to be heard. Only in 2024 was her case moved to a JJB, which found she was a minor at the time. She was released since the maximum sentence for a juvenile is three years. Pooja is one of thousands let down by India’s juvenile justice system. India’s Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act has existed for nearly 40 years and aims to protect and reform child offenders. But experts say the system still struggles to enforce the law’s promise. The Juvenile Justice Boards are key to the system but face challenges. India has 707 JJBs for 745 districts but many are short-staffed. Over half the cases before 362 JJBs were pending in 2023, the India Justice Report showed. One in four JJBs did not have a full bench as required by law. Maja Daruwala, editor at the India Justice Report, said poor data shows weak oversight and accountability. Fr Antony Sebastian, founder of NGO Echo, lamented, "These children largely come from poor backgrounds and dysfunctional families. When the police beat them and dump them in jails, they're revictimised all over again." Even children kept in observation or special homes face overcrowding, lack of counselling, and poor facilities. Deeksha Gujral from iProbono described how younger children suffer under older gang-connected inmates: "Incidents of violence and sexual abuse are also not uncommon." Authorities often think some children are beyond help, Rizvi added, affecting care quality. Yet there are success stories. At Echo, vocational programs and counselling helped Darshan* reform after his murder conviction. He now works in hotel management. Fr Sebastian said, "Every child deserves a second chance. As a society, we owe them at least that much." *Names changed as Indian law protects juvenile identities.