Open Access Research Article
PUBLIC TRUST IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN INDIA: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF ACCOUNTABILITY, FAIRNESS AND ACCESS TO JUSTICE
Abstract
Abstract
Public
trust is vital to the legitimacy and healthy functioning of any criminal
justice system. This article explores public trust in India based on an
empirical investigation of 126 people asked what they thought about the new
criminal law regime following the introduction of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita,
2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam,
2023. A study measures four interrelated dimensions – fair play,
accountability, accessibility of justice and institutional trust.
The
findings indicate a significant discrepancy between citizens’ normative beliefs
about the values of criminal justice, and perceptions of performance of
institutions.
Whereas,
almost 9 out of 10 people in a study believed officials should be held
accountable and just about 3 out of 4people said criminal case should be
resolved on facts, only one-sixth thought that police are able to conduct
criminal probes impartially, and little less than quarter were in favour of
courts conducting proceedings fair’’. Overall, about a quarter believed in our
criminal justice system, but 8.5 out of 10 people also believed delay in
criminal case proceedings reduces public trust. The study further observes that
most of those surveyed did not have adequate knowledge of existing complaint
channels and that such lack of knowledge was not significantly related to the
education level of the individual. Such analyses did not find any strong relation
between overall confidence and various demographic variables, leading to a
conclusion of the presence of a delivery deficit instead of a values deficit.
The
article discusses ways in which public trust may be re-established by means of
effective implementation of procedures to enhance accountability and fair
justice delivery, better accessibility of grievance mechanisms, and more
visibility to legal services and client-sensitive approaches.
Even
though with its limited non-probability sample generalising findings for India
or Tamil Nadu is not possible, the paper suggests the practical value and
necessity of conducting studies to highlight the differences between ideals
professed in Constitution and experience of the people with criminal justice
system.
Published Paper
Author Details
Authors: M. MOHAMED ISMAIL
Registration ID: 1013099 | Published Paper ID: IJLRA13099
Year: Sep-2026 | Volume: 3 | Issue: 6
Approved ISSN: 2582-6433 | Country: Delhi, India
Page No.: 29-47
Article Information
PUBLIC TRUST IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN INDIA: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF ACCOUNTABILITY, FAIRNESS AND ACCESS TO JUSTICE
Authors: M. MOHAMED ISMAIL
- Journal IJLRA
- ISSN 2582-6433
- Volume 3
- Issue 6
About Journal
International Journal for Legal Research and Analysis
- AbbreviationIJLRA
- ISSN2582-6433
- AccessOpen Access
- LicenseCC 4.0
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