".....When it comes to offences under IPC section 498A, which deals with cruelty by a husband or his relatives, not even one in every 50 accused gets convicted in Maharashtra ...."
MUMBAI: The conviction rate for crimes against women in India is depressingly low, but Maharashtra's record is even more abysmal than the national average. In cases of rape, for instance, Maharashtra's conviction rate of 16.1% is about two-thirds of the 24.2% that the country averages.
The conviction rate for rape among the bigger states ranges between 10% and 16% for Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal while it is lower than 10% in Jammu & Kashmir. All other major states fare better thanMaharashtra.
Several studies, in India and abroad have revealed that a majority of sex criminals are repeat offenders. A 2010 news report mentions a study bySwarnchetan, an NGO dealing with rape cases, which showed that nearly 70% of rape accused inmates in jails were repeat offenders. That is a telling statistic on just what the cost of a low conviction rate can be.
A look at data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) shows that Maharashtra ranks among the 10 worst states in terms of conviction rates for most offences against women. These include insulting the modesty of woman, dowry deaths and cruelty by husbands or their relatives.
Barely one in every 11 person, chargesheeted for assault on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty gets convicted in Maharashtra . The national average is almost one in four. Among the bigger states, only Gujarat , Karnataka and Jammu & Kashmir have a poorer record on this count.
In cases of insult to the modesty of a woman, nearly 95% of those accused walk free after trial in Maharashtra . Again, only Assam, Bihar and Karnataka among the major states fare worse. The all-India average conviction rate under this offence is 36.9%.
When it comes to offences under IPC section 498A, which deals with cruelty by a husband or his relatives, not even one in every 50 accused gets convicted in Maharashtra . This is just a little over one-tenth the national average of 15%. Maharashtra's 16.9% conviction rate for dowry deaths is also close to half the national average of 32.3%.
Of course, this is not to suggest that the rest of the country is doing a wonderful job of punishing those accused of crimes against women. The national average of conviction rates for IPC crimes against women is just 21.3%, which means almost four out of five accused walk free. It is also much lower than the 38.5% overall conviction rate for all IPC crimes.
The Justice Verma Committee, constituted to recommend amendments in criminal law to speed up trails in cases dealing with sexual offences against woman, also noted the abysmally low conviction rates for crimes committed against woman. The report observed that even today the victimized woman, rather than the rapist, is put to trial.
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Maharashtra among worst 10 in conviction rates
Atul Thakur, TNN | Aug 24, 2013, 07.42 AM IST Several studies, in India and abroad, have revealed that a majority of sex criminals are repeat offenders.
MUMBAI: The conviction rate for crimes against women in India is depressingly low, but Maharashtra's record is even more abysmal than the national average. In cases of rape, for instance, Maharashtra's conviction rate of 16.1% is about two-thirds of the 24.2% that the country averages.
The conviction rate for rape among the bigger states ranges between 10% and 16% for Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal while it is lower than 10% in Jammu & Kashmir. All other major states fare better thanMaharashtra.
Several studies, in India and abroad have revealed that a majority of sex criminals are repeat offenders. A 2010 news report mentions a study bySwarnchetan, an NGO dealing with rape cases, which showed that nearly 70% of rape accused inmates in jails were repeat offenders. That is a telling statistic on just what the cost of a low conviction rate can be.
A look at data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) shows that Maharashtra ranks among the 10 worst states in terms of conviction rates for most offences against women. These include insulting the modesty of woman, dowry deaths and cruelty by husbands or their relatives.
Barely one in every 11 person, chargesheeted for assault on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty gets convicted in Maharashtra . The national average is almost one in four. Among the bigger states, only Gujarat , Karnataka and Jammu & Kashmir have a poorer record on this count.
In cases of insult to the modesty of a woman, nearly 95% of those accused walk free after trial in Maharashtra . Again, only Assam, Bihar and Karnataka among the major states fare worse. The all-India average conviction rate under this offence is 36.9%.
When it comes to offences under IPC section 498A, which deals with cruelty by a husband or his relatives, not even one in every 50 accused gets convicted in Maharashtra . This is just a little over one-tenth the national average of 15%. Maharashtra's 16.9% conviction rate for dowry deaths is also close to half the national average of 32.3%.
Of course, this is not to suggest that the rest of the country is doing a wonderful job of punishing those accused of crimes against women. The national average of conviction rates for IPC crimes against women is just 21.3%, which means almost four out of five accused walk free. It is also much lower than the 38.5% overall conviction rate for all IPC crimes.
The Justice Verma Committee, constituted to recommend amendments in criminal law to speed up trails in cases dealing with sexual offences against woman, also noted the abysmally low conviction rates for crimes committed against woman. The report observed that even today the victimized woman, rather than the rapist, is put to trial.
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