Rapist Gang Crime of 2012 in New Delhi and Its Effect on the India Justice System - Coursework Example

Rapist Gang Crime of in New Delhi and Its effect on the India Justice System Criminal justice has been a controversial issue from time immemorial. It is a body responsible for the restoration of order in world by solving worst human conflicts and ensuring that particular group of people does not harm other in the name of strengthening a gang. However, it does not guarantee justice always if the people running the system are corrupt; do not care about the interest of the victims and side with perpetrators. This has downplayed faith in such criminal justice systems. However, there are instances when such criminal cases compel the system to change for good. This is in the case of gang rapes, serial killers, famous drug lords as well world most dreaded cases of terrorism (Hood & Deva, 2014). Rape cases hit make headlines everyday but some happen and no one evens happens to notice. However, some of the cases are so gross that they invite public attention virtually across all part of the world. One of such crime dates back in 2012 in New Delhi India. The gang rape case attracted scorn, put India justice system on the spotlight and impacted the trial at a great deal. India is famous with rape cases with some of the going unsolved. However, this trial attracted world eye and had to be decided in the most justified way possible (Kumar & Kumar, 2013). Introduction The Indian rapist gang consisted of six members namely Mukesh Singh, Akshay Thakur, Vinay Sharma, Pawan Gupta, Ram Singh and unnamed juvenile. They carried out the most thrilling gang and murder in the history of New Delhi. The victim was a 23-year woman who was accompanied by her friend on their way home. She was a physiotherapy intern. They had gone to watch a movie, Life of Pie but on their way home from Munirka to Dwarka they were intercepted by the aforementioned gang in a private bus. The male friend was beaten with an iron rod and left unconscious. The woman was not lucky because they beat her up too with the same iron rod, raped her in turn, and damaged her abdomen and intestines. She died thirteen days later while undergoing serious treatment in Singapore. The barbaric gang was later arrested and a case was filed immediately. During the trial period one of the delinquent youth, Ram Singh died in the course of the trial period while the young boy in the gang sent to a juvenile home (Kumar & Kumar, 2013). The public and media reaction The media and public went on uproar in various Indian streets after the local police had apprehended the gang. The Indian public wanted justice to be given for the rape victim. Though the trial was on course, the public barely had faith that justice will prevail following the fate of similar cases in India where women would be raped under the permission of the elders. Remarkably, both the public and media saw a possibility of the trial carried out privately. Indian public had lost faith in the justice system more in the way the rape cases and generally violence among women was being handled. However, the ordeal was already in public domain and had attracted world media attention minimizing chances of the gang going unpunished by the law. Notably, there were protests prompted by the fact that security docket has failed to offer adequate security for women in various towns in India. Consequently, Indian justice system was compelled to give the verdict in full glare of its public and world’s media (Dalmia, 2013). The Verdict on the Gang The gang comprising of the six delinquent youths were charged with sexual assault and brutal murder. Ram Singh died in Tihar Jail, the juvenile defendant was sent to a juvenile home for three years while the other four were convicted for death after being found guilty of rape and murder. Indians were contented that it was the only way to send a message to every potential and existing rapist gang in New Delhi and other parts of India (Dalmia, 2013). Remarkably, the gang conviction had a profound effect on the Indian as well as Asian justice system because the world had anticipated the case to be concealed like any other women rape cases in the region. The effect of the gang rape crime to India’s Justice System This gang rape and brutal murder influenced the justice system in India especially in relation to gender violence against women and juvenile justice. It also had legal implications regarding the process of how such rape cases of women are reported in entire of India (Www.Dw.De, 2014). It is of great significance to note that the effect of the gang crime and the verdict changed the face of the Indian justice system on dealing with gang crimes, especially those who focused on raping women and instigating violence against women According to Www.Dw.De (2014), interview with a right activist in India, Ranjana Kumari points out the justice system had a stake in the daily ordeals against women. The system had a responsibility to revise its laws on how men and boys in India treated women. In the recent days, the system has embraced severity punishment in terms zero tolerance for any sexual assault. In response to public frenzy and outcry, the Indian government saw it wise to consider the Criminal Law Amendment Act 2013. This act was passed in March 2013 and it is notably more compressive in the way officers within the system approach violence. In the same breath, the police force has seen an increased level of training and empowerment to respond quickly than they used to where cases of gender violence among women are involved. Hood and Deva (2014) indicate that the Supreme Court prompted the vital amendment of the criminal law amendment to accommodate adverse consequences to any other uprising rapist gang in India. On the other hand, the verdict on this case also increased the faith in the processes of Indian law and criminal justice system by the public. The fact that all the five remaining victims go the verdict they deserved sent a stern warning to the criminals, community, parents, courts and prosecution processes that still uphold male dominion over women. The increased faith meant that the system had delivered a landmark judgment in favour of India citizens. Women are now reporting cases in in contrast with the past when they would keep mum. The investigation process for such cases is taking lesser time than they used to. The Indian justice system has benefited immensely from speedy trial because there is better memory and fresh recall in both witnesses and victims. A top cop also noted that juvenile justice systems were changed for good. The jury had proposed a less strict verdict for the unnamed juvenile just because they were backed up by loopholes in the out-dated Indian law. The cop trusted in the proposition by Amendment Act law that would see to it that the courts set an independent age for a crime committed (Hood & Deva, 2014). The verdict would also be based on the gravity and depravity of the crime not necessarily the juvenile age. This is because the level of mental maturity and environment around juveniles presently is much different from the circumstances under which old law was crafted. There could have been an Additional Sessions Court to grant the unnamed juvenile a death verdict (Ghosal, 2014). Conclusion Amidst media frenzy, public protests, the verdict of this gang rape and murder in New Delhi has brought back law and order in Indian streets following the amendments done on the justice system. The government and human rights activist have introduced training facilities for women and lessons to change the attitude of men and boys towards women. Remarkably, the rapist gang crime in India had an adverse effect to the Indian justice system. Gang crimes are on the rise in the USA, India, Canada, and any other part of the world that has failed to constitute laws to curb gangs as soon as they emerge. Consequently, the only way to end the impunity instigated by gang crimes is implementing new laws on gangs and amending the existing ones to restore public trust in providing justice to the victims. References (Www.Dw.De), D. (2014). Gang rape case has had a big impact on india | asia | dw.de | 31.08.2013. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.dw.de/gang-rape-case-has-had-a-big-impact-on-india/a-16961597 [Accessed: 16 Feb 2014]. Dalmia, S. (2013). Unjust justice in the new delhi gang rape case. [online] Retrieved from: http://reason.com/archives/2013/09/17/unjust-justice-in-the-new-delhi-gang-rap [Accessed: 16 Feb 2014]. Ghosal, B. (2014). Delhi gang-rape verdict has increased faith in criminal justice system: kiran bedi. [online] Retrieved from: http://zeenews.india.com/exclusive/delhi-gang-rape-verdict-has-increased-faith-in-criminal-justice-system-kiran-bedi_6637.html [Accessed: 16 Feb 2014]. Hood, R. & Deva, S. (2014). Confronting capital punishment in asia. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Kumar, V. & Kumar, V. (2013). 10 worst and most brutal rape cases in india - 3rank. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.3rank.com/10-worst-and-most-brutal-rape-cases-in-india/ [Accessed: 16 Feb 2014]. Read More