CRIME CONTROL & CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
I. Major Laws & Acts
These form the legal backbone of crime control:
1.Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860 Defines crimes and penalties.
Being updated by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.
2.Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), 1973 Procedure for investigation, trial, bail.
Being replaced by Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.
3. Indian Evidence Act, 1872 Rules of admissibility of evidence.
Replaced by Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), 2023
UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act), 1967 To combat terrorism and insurgency.
5. POCSO Act, 2012 Protection of children from sexual offences.
6. NDPS Act, 1985 Controls drug-related crimes.
7.Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 Focus on rehabilitation of child offenders.
II. Recent Criminal Law Reforms (2023-24) Aimed to make justice faster, more people-centric.
1. Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 Replaces IPC.
Focus: crimes against women, mob lynching, terrorism.
New provision for community service as punishment Example: Promotes restorative justice over jail
time.
2. Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 Replaces CrPC.
Allows FIRs via electronic means zero FIR, mandatory forensic team for serious crimes.
Trial deadlines judgment must be delivered within 45 days after trial ends.
Evidence can be collected digitally.
3.Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), 2023 Replaces Indian Evidence Act.
Admits digital evidence formally.
Evidence of Effectiveness
Pilot use of digital FIRs in states like Maharashtra and Telangana reduced delays.
4-5-day judgment rule (if implemented) could cut 50% of trial delays (NCRB 2022 backlog data).
III. Initiatives and Scheme These support crime control practically:
1. Safe City Project (for Women)
AI-based surveillance, panic buttons in buses, streetlights in dark spots.
Example: Lucknow & Hyderabad saw a 22% drop in women harassment complaint (Ministry of Home
Affairs, 2023).
2.Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) All police stations connected online.
Result: NCRB says investigation time dropped by 35% in digitized zones.
3.e-Courts Mission Mode Project Digital filing, online case tracking.
Reduced pendency in pilot High Courts (Delhi, Bombay).
4.Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) For rape and POCSO cases.
As of 2024: 1.6 lakh cases disposed, average time per case reduced from 3.6 years to 1.2 years.
5. Nirbhaya Fund Projects CCTV, helplines, women help desks.
Mixed results: only 63% of funds utilized as of 2023.
IV. Data & Evidence
| Topic | Evidence/Impact |
| ----------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| CCTNS | Faster FIR registration & tracking in 95% of districts |
| e-Courts | Pendency dropped in pilot courts |
| Safe City | 22% fall in crimes against women in Lucknow |
| FTSCs | 55% faster case disposal |
| Digital Forensics | States using it (like Delhi) have higher conviction rate /
“All these laws you mentioned sound fancy, but tell me how they actually help a villager whose
daughter is raped? They still face threats and police won’t file FIR.”
Answer:
Yes, and that’s the ground reality. Laws on paper don’t protect victims—implementation does. That’s
why the new BNSS makes it mandatory to accept a Zero FIR, from anywhere in India, no matter the
jurisdiction. Also, forensic teams are now mandatory for serious crimes, which means less pressure
on victims to “prove” things themselves. We need public awareness campaigns in villages too. Law
is just the first step—access is the real battle.
“Fine, you say all this is working—but where is the proof? Just saying ‘it works’ isn’t enough.”
Answer:
Absolutely. Let’s talk evidence:
In Lucknow, Safe City Project reduced harassment complaints by 22%.
In Delhi, forensic labs helped increase conviction rate by 15% in assault cases.
States using CCTNS reduced investigation time by 35% (NCRB).
Fast Track Courts disposed 1.6 lakh rape/POCSO cases in 2 years—almost double the
regular court speed.
Sppech for dialogue hour
India cannot fight 21st-century crime with 19th-century laws. That’s why we introduced the
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and its sister reforms — modern laws for modern justice. Through
CCTNS, over 95% of police stations are digitally connected. FIRs are faster. Criminals are
tracked in real time. Zero FIR, video trials, and digital forensics are now standard tools —
not experiments "Tezi se kanoon, suraksha sabke liye — yeh hai naye Bharat ki neeti(swift
justice, safety for all — this is New India’s policy.) Fast Track Courts have cleared over 1.6 lakh
serious cases. In Smart Cities, crimes against women are down by 20%. And we’re not
stopping. Every day, we’re training, reviewing, and improving "Not just law and order — we
deliver law with justice."We’re not just passing bills. We’re protecting lives.
Question on cctns “CCTNS is a tool, not a magic wand. It needs trained staff, legal follow-
up, and judicial efficiency. We’ve begun that work through police training missions and
judicial digitalisation.”
Question on crime rates FIR filing has increased due to digital access, not necessarily actual
crimes More trust → more reporting Government is tracking crime patterns and working
on prevention through community policing, CCTV surveillance, and awareness.
Question on delays “You are right — delay in justice delivery has been a challenge for
decades. But under our government, we’ve taken clear, time-bound steps: AI-based case
tracking, hiring more judges, National Forensic University, and better police training Aim is
to reduce pendency and ensure Nyay, not delay.Introduced Fast Track Courts for heinous
crimes, especially against women and children.Strengthened eCourts, video conferencing,
and AI-based cause-listing to reduce backlash Launched National Judicial Infrastructure
Mission to upgrade courtrooms and digital systems. Justice delay cannot be solved in one
year — but under our leadership, over 55 lakh pending cases have been disposed of in 2
years through Lok Adalats and digital tools. That’s not just talk — it’s delivery.”
Question on women Laws alone won’t stop everything, but strict punishments + quick FIR
+ Fast Track Courts are already showing results Smart City data shows a 20% drop in such
crimes in 2 years.
Question on fasttrack That is a valid concern. Fast Track Courts are operational in many
states, but we agree some face manpower shortages That’s why the 14th Finance
Commission granted ₹15,000+ crore for state-level judicial hiring We’ve also recommended
states to adopt uniform recruitment rules for judicial officers Progress is being tracked
under the eCommittee of the Supreme
