The Indian juvenile justice system, regulated by the 1986 national delinquency law, mandates a rehabilitative, social welfare, rather than punitive approach to be taken toward juvenile offenders. Official Indian crime statistics, which show that most criminality consists of non-violent property crimes, indicate that juveniles in India comprise only a miniscule proportion of the total criminal population. However, a number of self-report surveys have suggested that the true incidence of juvenile delinquency in India is higher, although still low compared to many other countries. It appears that variables such as gender, age, social class, minority status, and residence are similar across different societies. Some research has suggested that socioeconomic conditions relating to social control and peer associations may account for some of these similarities. 3 tables and 31 references