Why police losing war on teen gangs?

We are deeply concerned by the current escalation of teenage gang activities, with a flagrant disregard for law enforcement. A recent report by a Bangla daily underscores the growing audacity of these juvenile groups and how they continue to operate without any deterrence, despite recent arrests of hundreds of teens. Multiple recent intelligence reports indicate an exponential surge in the activities of the teen gang across the country. They are no longer involved in petty crimes; rather, they are now partaking in organised criminal acts, like homicides, grievous assaults, extortions and drug dealings. They are creating widespread fear and compromising national security.
According to media reports, adult ringleaders strategically recruit minors into their operations, as our legal system is ill-equipped to penalise juveniles. Regrettably, the primary barrier that prevents law enforcement from dismantling these organised gangs is the statutory framework for juveniles. Irrespective of the gravity of the crime, the legal framework prohibits sentencing juveniles to standard adult penitentiaries. Furthermore, officers are legally barred from handcuffing youth. This is why law enforcement operations, though yield high arrest volumes, do not produce any lasting deterrent effect.
We understand the primary reason for such a framework is to protect the vulnerable; however, it is functioning as a loophole in avoiding justice. To eliminate teen gangs and re-establish public safety, our government must amend the current juvenile law to establish a clear distinction in the severity of offences. They should introduce a mechanism where juveniles, irrespective of age, accused of capital offences, like murder and rape, must be tried and receive stricter punishments.
Additionally, our government must conduct a massive awareness campaign about good parenting targeting guardians and the importance of values targeting both parents and children. At the same time, parents who support and patronise their children’s crimes must face the music as some recent report underscores how parents attacked and vandalised a police station because their criminal teens were taken into custody.
The escalation of teen gang culture is a direct consequence of how a well-intended legal framework fails to account for organised criminal adaptation. The law cannot serve as a shield for unchecked violence and murder. If our government does not immediately make legislative reforms, teen gangs will continue to undermine the rule of law and endanger public safety.