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The insurgency problem in Assam (India) and the problem of illegal migrants are closely inter-linked. Pre-Independence protests of the Assamese people against the Bengali migrants continued post-Independence leading to the rise of violent insurgent groups. This paper will discuss the present situation in Assam in the politico-economic backdrop based on open source information. This paper will delve into the root causes of the mushrooming of insurgent groups in the state, how it is affecting the economy and if at all what can be a way to check this trend. Being an Assamese, born and brought up in Assam, I have a feel for the problem and shall be able to give first hand information about the angst at large in the state. Besides, I will also use documentaries, books, the Institute for the Study of Violent Groups database, where I work, and other open sources available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human Trafficking is nothing less than modern-day slavery. Victims of this crime range from documented/undocumented female and children, old and young. Traffickers take advantage of their victims and exploit them in a number of ways, ranging from forced labor to prostitution. Victims are often physically and emotionally abused. Often, threats are made against the victims or the victims' families in order to keep them compliant. The Govt. of India recently started addressing the issues and problems of victims of anti trafficking. There is an urgent need for raising police and general public awareness about human trafficking. Major objective of this paper is to conduct a needs assessment towards conducting a training and education program to combat human trafficking in the short run and to control this social menace in the long run. This paper is an attempt to do a situational analysis and a needs assessment study towards suggesting training and educational workshops. Innovative strategies for successful intervention and management of the problem of human trafficking are the secondary objective of the study. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the problems of evaluating community vigilance, preparedness, and resiliency after the on-sight training teams have provided community organizations and members with the foundations and educational tools to an all-hazards community approach to events of national significance. This paper also addresses the uniqueness of Indian Country in defining and confronting disasters and emergencies. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents an overview of reformative justice model being tried in cities like Mumbai and Delhi in India. India has the highest crime rate in the world, at least as far as the raw numbers go. The crimes against women and children have also reached an all time high, while men also struggle to get justice. The criminal justice system, that is struggling hard to break the image of bias and lethargy, faces a new challenge when it applies the restorative model of justice. The slow system also means hundreds of thousands of people remaining as under-trials as well as the group waiting for justice to deliver. This often leads to a lot more punitive approach towards offenders who seem to get away with violations because of limitations in prosecuting them after a gap of months and years. These factors combined present a challenge to reintegrate offenders back in the society, especially given the limited resources. The paper explores the implementation, limitations and success of programs aimed at restorative justice, both from the law enforcement and inmates' perspectives. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is based on the primary and secondary data collected from the members of social organizations in Mumbai (India) that provide assistance to bar girls and dancers, who are primarily seen as sex workers or prostitutes. The government perceives the lifestyle of bar girls as immoral and criminal and wants to shut down mujra joints. There are concerns that a large part of it involves flesh trade and human trafficking within India, as well as mujra business outside India. There are cases that show interlinks between dance bars and organized crime groups that are involved in flesh and drug trades. All these different aspects of business are linked together with the Hawala system that is abused to move money. On the other hand most of the bar dancers see it as their only viable means of making ends meet. Their main contention against closing these dance bars is to provide them with an alternative sustainable means of survival. The paper is based on case studies and interviews and covers a wide range of issues including how some of the girls end up in dance bars, their abuse and coping mechanisms for survival, and social and legal concerns about these activities. The paper briefly touches upon the issue of Hawala, an informal means of money transfer that human traffickers and drug dealers use to move money generated through these activities. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research objective: In India of the 109, 349 cases of AIDS which have been reported in 2005, 31,982 are women (http://www.avert.org/aidsindia.htm). Besides the rapid rise of HIV as a disease among women in India, their experiences with stigma (if any) and coping mechanisms associated with contracting the virus, are relatively unexplored yet pertinent area of discussion. This paper would explore the probable association between stigmatizing HIV positive women and women's pathways to what is designated as "criminal". For sex workers HIV stigma might denote a continuation of unsafe sex practices while for other women, prostitution might be a means to secure a living if other known methods of survival are forbidden. Theoretical considerations: Braithewaite defines two kinds of labels and stigma which has the potential of altering deviant behavior among men and women. Integrative shaming helps reduce recidivism while disintegrative shaming, or out casting a particular social group reproduces deviance. In the context of a HIV positive status with moral undertones, disintegrative shaming might actually push women to limited life choices and moral crimes. Recommended Methodology: Content analysis. A sample of major Indian newspapers with reports on HIV and AIDS will be selected for this purpose from 2001 to 2005. The pieces which actually talk about stigmatizing experiences and outcomes, will be examined in the process. These include The Hindu, The Indian Express, The Telegraph and Times of India. While some of these are more regional, others cater to a national population. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the historical and current plight of Dalits in India, including the social and economic challenges they face. Second, it provides specific examples of violations against the Dalits of India. Third, it looks at India's efforts to fulfill its commitment to human rights. Fourth, the social discrimination experienced by this underclass is further linked to discriminatory treatment by the various agencies of criminal justice. Finally, it discusses various recommendations suggested by human rights organizations and scholars to eliminate this socially endemic discrimination by criminal justice agencies. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female feticide and female infanticide are common social problems in India creating a serious gender imbalance in the country. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) which is the official governmental agency maintaining the details of crime statistics in India reports these two problems under the category 'Crimes against Children'; feticide is punishable under Sec. 312, 314, 315 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and infanticide under Sec. 316 of the IPC. The rates reported by the NCRB are far lower compared to the actual prevalence rates - due to the general problems of crime reporting in India and also the attitude of people towards such crimes. This paper seeks to explore the origin of female infanticide in India and how technology has made sex determination possible and therefore created the new problem of female feticide in India. It also discusses the current laws to prevent such crimes and their efficacy. It seeks to present the reality of the situation from an insider's perspective and outlines measures taken by NGO's to overcome the root causes of the problems leading to such crimes. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is founded on the hierarchical caste system, in which higher castes exercise authority over lower castes, and individuals are identified with family, caste, and religious group, without recognition of their individuality and separateness. Democratic values and forces are changing this traditional arrangement as the economy develops. Caste groups and individuals are seeking equality with superiors, independence, economic improvement, and dignity. Privileged castes and classes often block those who are trying to improve caste status and personal advancement. Because of intercaste and interpersonal struggles that democratic forces have released, the panchayat, which has been the traditional institution of community justice, and served to uphold the caste hierarchy, is losing empowerment to settle disputes. As panchayats wane, disputes escalate, and the official justice system expands, with police intervening into village affairs. However, caste biases and prejudices can also be found in the official justice system. This paper presents four cases of panchayat justice and police involvement in them, revealing the shape that the modernity of traditional justice has taken in Indian communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Culture is an important factor in understanding women's encounters with the criminal justice system and of course a complex one. Based on interview data from a women's prison in India, this paper explores the role of culture in understanding crime and victimization in India. Specifically, it will deal with the dynamics of the Indian household structure. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hawala is a form of informal banking system in the Indian subcontinent and parts of the Middle-East. In the aftermath of Sept. 11 attacks there have been calls for closing and/ regulating informal banking systems in Africa, Asia and other parts of the globe for the growing concerns about terrorism funding. There have been some successful efforts to do especially in the African region, but it is nearly impossible to regulate Hawala system in India because of the legitimate socio-economic purposes that it serves. It enjoys extensive public patronage both from Indians in India and those living abroad. It is also a preferred means of money transfer for many corrupt politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen. Since 1990s, it has become a dirty word, but the business in itself has been flourishing. There have been numerous incidents of the system being abused by organized crime groups and terrorists as well. Despite these abuses Hawala has been decriminalized and brought under the purview of civil law in India. It is due to a number of factors including inadequate banking infrastructure, poor perception of law and order, high levels of political corruption and economic crimes, as well as strong family and community ties that perpetuate use of Hawala. The data for the paper was collected from Hawala operators and customers in Delhi and Punjab in India, law enforcement officers, journal articles and news report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The period of British Rule in India saw rapid changes in the criminal justice system, especially for the police. These efforts were largely through legislative measures, implementation of recommendations of commissions and implementation of new administrative rules. The administrative system developed during this period has had far reaching impact on the police administration in India as the system has continued unchanged. This paper examines police administration in the Madras province during the period from 1860 to 1925. This study examines the administrative reports of the Police department during the period, and traces the administrative changes and policing efforts to deal with the crime phenomenon. These reports provide a deep insight into the minds of the British officers, their objectives, concerns and perceptions of criminality. The police administration served as the bulwark of the Raj and these administrative reports describe ways in which the British rule in India was established and consolidated. These reports also suggest the administrative changes in the perspective of macro level administrative goals of the British rulers and historical perspective of Indian police. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will focus on various surveillance strategies adopted by prison officials in bringing women inmates to conformity. It is based on an ethnography that was carried out in a women's prison in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When traditional societies become modern, old conceptions of justice yield to modern ones, but this often involves a transitional period in which both old and new justice comes into conflict in a complex fashion. Sections with vested advantage in traditional society and its justice system resist change, while the disadvantaged push for change. In India caste, gender, and age hierarchies persist, and traditional notions of justice based on these come into conflict with modern justice requirements in traditional village courts (known as panchayats), in the offficial justice system, and in cases of extra-legal self-help and violence. Those advantaged by the traditional system want justice to be done according to hierarchical standards, while those disadvantaged by tradition seek equal justice. This paper explores the intricacies of commitments and claims in what people say and decide to act upon in dealing with criminal and civil offenses in and around several villages and towns in Tamil Nadu, in their panchayats, in the official justice system, and outside of these. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the changing trends in crimes and criminal behavior in India. .This study analyses the effects of societal, legal, and cultural factors on the levels of crime and criminal behavior in India. It further explores the effects on crime and criminal behavior as results of changing culture, migration to urban areas and foreign countries. The paper starts with the postulation that violence is often culturally determined and moves to examine the effects of culture and media on crime specifically on juvenile crime. The present research observes the effects of changing culture on dictating a society's vulnerability to particular types of crime among children. The changing family structure and family dynamics are also examined to determine the effects on children and young adults. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores issues of criminalization and decriminalization of behavior within socio-cultural contexts in relationship with components of criminal justice system, including law enforcement. On one hand, policing Hawala requires coordination among various law enforcement agencies at local and global level, on the other it deals with the paradox in India where Hawala has been decriminalized. The law enforcement officials in India are also aware of legitimate users of Hawala and call for making the criminal distinction based on the purpose and source of money, instead of the use of this system itself. Both, lower perceived legitimacy of political institutions and inadequate banking infrastructure, govern this decision-making within the social structure. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The policing system of India went through various phases during the process of conquest by foreign rulers. The Aryan system yielded to the Islamicate system (Arab-Persian-Turkic) after the Muslim rulers embarked on a more permanent stay in India. Though the Islamicate system was incorporated into the Indian context it could not survive in its original form and had to be adapted to the Indian environment. The Panchayati system of India in combination with the Islamicate systems of the Delhi Sultanates and the Mughal Emperors respectively created a very unique administrative blend. This article examines the functioning of the police during the Mughal period (1526-1707). This paper postulates that the Islamicate system that the Mughals inherited through the Delhi Sultanates was in turn transformed when this system came into contact with the Indian environment. These new systems went through a profound change when coming into contact with Indian society, institutions and culture. The legal system and the policing system employed by the Mughals incorporated elements of Indian law and administration. The resulting system ended up as one that can be more accurately characterized as an Islamicate-Indian one. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) of India lists the following crimes under the title 'Crimes against Women': rape, kidnapping and abduction, dowry death, torture, molestation, sexual harassment, importation of girls, cases under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, Sati Prevention Act, Dowry Prohibition Act and Indecent Representation of Women (Prevention) Act. A total of 164765 cases were reported in 2006. This number represents about 8.2% of total number of reported crimes as defined under the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The present paper examines these statistics using a broader cultural, social, political and historical context. It also examines the problems in the interpretation and reliability of these numbers. It discusses the dark figures and problems in reporting, charge-sheeting and prosecution of these crimes. It outlines the efforts of national, international and grassroots organizations in addressing the issues. Drawing from Indian feminist and women's studies literature it summarizes and presents a conceptual background to enable a better understanding of the problem. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of modernization in a society is intimately connected to the growth of legal evolutions related to criminalization. While the progress of modernization expands the boundaries of tolerance, diversities, and open society, it also expands the boundaries of crime and criminalization. In the the West, the advance of modern law and justice and progress in human rights have expanded the boundaries of freedom. But they have also expanded the boundaries of criminalization and victimization. One of the major areas that have rapidly expanded with modernization, particularly in the societies of the West, is the criminalization of domestic violence. During the last thirty years, series of laws have evolved that have criminalized a wide variety of behaviors related to domestic violence. This paper will examine how and what laws and statutes related to the criminalization of domestic violence have evolved in the United States, and how some of those legal developments are now spreading in other societies of the world. Data will be drawn from Japan, China, and India. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

British administrators and others, during the long period of colonial rule, developed a stereotypical perception of crime, which never changed or modified for two centuries. Policies, laws, procedures and administrative functions were put in place to perpetuate those perceptions. Indian officers were regimentally trained to cement those perceptions on class, caste and regional basis. Unofficially, in some form or the other, it lasted to varying degrees, even after independence. This paper attempts to examine the role played by those perceptions in Colonial India. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indian police has been functioning under the Police Act of 1861 in the post-independence period. The last few years have witnessed efforts to reform the police through enactment of a new Police Act based on the recommendations of the Soli Sorabjee Committee, and interventions of the Supreme Court. This paper makes an assessment of the crime and order problems and the socio-political realities in a police district in India, and in the light of this data, attempts to predict the possible directions of implementation of police reforms in India. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintenance of public order has been an important issue that has confronted the criminal justice system in developing democratic nations. This paper makes an empirical study of order problems in a police district in India. It makes a quantitative assessment of the social context of the problems, nature and type of problem, frequency, response of the police etc. Through this analysis we determine how the different dimensions of police work shape the role and image of police in the administrative, democratic, and social discourse. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India has severe penalties for the possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs and convicted offenders are subject to long sentences and heavy fines. Such expressions of legal seriousness are balanced by socio-cultural norms and enforcement practices that are ambivalent regarding the availability and use of various mood altering substances. This paper addresses the implications and consequences of the "drug dilemma" for crime and control. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically Dalits have been poor, deprived of basic human rights, and treated as social inferiors in India. They still face economic, cultural, and political discrimination in the name of caste. Centuries of this hidden discrimination is seen in every aspect of the system, including the criminal justice system. This paper describes historical and current situation of Dalits and discusses how police and judiciary tend to treat their grievances. Finally, it examines Government of India's efforts to fulfill its commitment to human rights. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent abduction and rape of a call center worker in Bangalore, India's Silicon Valley, has highlighted the issue of safety of women working in the IT industry in India. This study examines the issues of safety that women face as they try and balance work demands like working late in the software industry in India. The study is based on ethnographic interviews conducted with 27 women working in the IT industry in New Delhi. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research attempt here involves a review of the literature on the nature and forms of white collar crime for a comparative international study of the subject in India. The author spent some time in India during February/March 2006 and gathered relevant information there. The ASC conference presentation will include the extent of these white collar crimes, more specifically organized crimes, the institutions and individuals involved, victims, costs and consequences. The review of literature and available data may help us in the understanding of these crimes, in the context of the social and cultural similarities and differences between India and the USA, the two largest democratic countries. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This poster presentation explores the nature and quality of begging interactions in two South Asian capital cities: Delhi, India, and Kathmandu, Nepal. The major theme is the social and spatial nature of begging, and the ways in which it is subject to both formal and informal means of regulation. The presentation combines criminological and visual ethnographic perspectives. There will be a brief narrative outline, along with photographs of people begging in a variety of locations in Delhi and Kathmandu. The presentation is based on fieldwork conducted in South Asia in Spring 2004. In Delhi observations were conducted in the commercial centre of New Delhi and in Hindu and Muslim places of worship. In Kathmandu, data was collected in Tibetan Buddhist and Hindu temples, and in the citys Durbar Square. The religious ethos of Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam encourages almsgiving to the poor, and the role of religious institutions in the social and spatial organization of begging was observed and documented. Beggars were also present in commercial zones, where they tended to occupy marginal locations such as pedestrian subways. Thus, it was observed that in both secular and religious contexts begging was a socially and spatially regulated activity. The presentation is intended to make a contribution to comparative criminology, with an emphasis on the regulation of deviance in South Asia, and a commentary on the role of religious institutions in the management of deviant populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indian police personnel are notorious for their extortion, misbehavior and poor services to the citizens. It has been suggested that most personnel need to be sensitized to gender and ethnic issues and properly trained to understand their responsibilities and to improve image of the department. But good training and performance requires that these personnel have requisite education to comprehend the new demands of a democratic polity. However, in the Indian police the educational qualifications of constables [forming the bulk of the force] have generally been kept low due to political considerations. The basic qualification is grade IV in many states of the country. Reformers have been stressing the need to increase the minimum educational standard of police recruits and to make all promotions contingent upon education. But do better educated police personnel perceive their responsibilities differently? This research seeks to understand the impact of education upon police personnel in terms of their perceptions of role, work values, stress, management and supervisory issues. Our research suggests that education indeed makes some difference and provides evidence for a policy change in this direction. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indian police personnel are notorious for their extortion, misbehavior and poor services to the citizens. It has been suggested that most personnel need to be sensitized to gender and ethnic issues and properly trained to understand their responsibilities and to improve image of the department. But good training and performance requires that these personnel have requisite education to comprehend the new demands of a democratic polity. However, in the Indian police the educational qualifications of constables [forming the bulk of the force] have generally been kept low due to political considerations. The basic qualification is grade IV in many states of the country. Reformers have been stressing the need to increase the minimum educational standard of police recruits and to make all promotions contingent upon education. But do better educated police personnel perceive their responsibilities differently? This research seeks to understand the impact of education upon police personnel in terms of their perceptions of role, work values, stress, management and supervisory issues. Our research suggests that education indeed makes some difference and provides evidence for a policy change in this direction. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Popular cultures as well as citizen watch groups lament on the negative citizen perceptions of police. In 2005, the Supreme Court of India urged reform in police services. However, systematic study of citizen satisfaction of police services has not been done. In this exploratory study we will examine citizen perceptions of police in India. More specifically, we will examine public perceptions of police effectiveness, police integrity, and community policing. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an effort to understand criminal justice education in India, we find that there are several key similarities and differences in comparison to the US. After discussing these findings, we raise fourquestions which emerge from the comparison: the national government's influenceover criminal justice education; the gap between academic education andjob-related training; the influence of level of economic development on crime relatededucation; and, the circumstances surrounding the influence of outsidersand outside agencies on criminal justice education. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India has experienced rapid industrial and economic development in the last 20 years. The outcome of this urbanization resulted in an increase in urban population, higher economic disparity, and crime rates and crime control mechanisms. Previous literature in developed economies on this topic suggests a strong relationship between urbanization and crime. However, systematic examination of the factors that influence crime and crime control on India's development has been limited. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between economic development, economic inequality and crime in India. Theoretical models and hypotheses drawn from social disorganization and economic inequality perspectives that have been applied in the western developed economies to study crime will be applied to this emerging market. Findings, implications, and limitations of the study will be discussed. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]