Breaking the Code; The Role of Legal Reforms in Addressing the Influence of Digital Media on the Juvenile Delinquency in Sri Lanka

Abstract

In the modern context, digital media is inundating each aspect of life, and its effect on youthful behavior remains a crucial concern globally. Based on this background, the present paper carries out a thorough analysis of the relationship that exists between digital media and juvenile offenses, with a special reference to Sri Lanka, bringing relative insight from the USA and India. The study uses qualitative research methodologies by way of doctrinal analysis and comparative legal studies to show that exposure to violent content, incidents of cyberbullying, and engaging in online deviant communities can seriously influence adolescent behavior in a way that will move them toward delinquency. The study reveals gaps in the present legal framework of Sri Lanka, which does not address the fast pace and pervasiveness of the impact of digital media on its youth. Points to highly innovative reforms tailored towards the protection of children and adolescents against the excess of risks occasioned by online environments, recommendations for changes in laws, educational programs towards digital literacy and responsible online conduct, as well as community-based interventions aimed at supporting environments and rehabilitation among juveniles affected by digital media-related delinquency. The main concept to the concerns of this study is a clarion call for an all-inclusive approach that will bring legal reforms, strategies for educational programs, and community programs together. Hence, it can safeguard the youth while enabling them to negotiate digital landscapes by cultivating safety and responsibility. Ultimately, the paper will strive to derive practical implications that should foster the well-being and healthy development of youth within the pervasive presence of digital media and facilitate their full integration into society.