Community service to replace short jail terms
abu dhabi — Community service will replace detention in minor crimes, the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department announced on Sunday.
According to the announcement, convicts of minor crimes, which do not exceed a jail term of six months, will be ordered to clean mosques, streets and public parks or help at special needs centres and hospitals.
The announcement followed a resolution to set up a new public prosecution, issued by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, in his capacity as the Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD). The new public prosecution is directly subordinate to the attorney-general and specialises in following up implementation of community service measures to be issued by the Abu Dhabi Misdemeanour Courts.
It was part of an effort to enforce a 2016 federal law, which amended some provisions of the Federal Penal Code.
“The community service for convicts will be in humanitarian, educational, environmental and government business fields. The purpose is to reform these people psychologically and morally, and to change their behaviour in society,” said Yousef Saeed Al Abri, undersecretary at the ADJD.
The suggested community service includes memorisation of the Holy Quran, sending convicts to juvenile centres, spending time at special needs centres, helping in transportation of patients and cleaning roads, beaches, public squares and natural reserves. Other services also include cleaning and maintenance of mosques and sports facilities, sale of tickets, maintenance of public libraries and parks, loading and off-loading containers at ports and assisting people working in the civil defence.
Al Abri added that the convicts will also be made to provide services in government departments, administrative sector and health centres to do clerical work or serve as drivers in the field of food control section and any other work that benefits the public.
He explained that if the person fails to carry out the community service, the court might make them serve the jail term for a similar period given to them in community service or complete the remaining period in prison.
Abu Dhabi Attorney-General Ali Mohammed Al Balushi said the new legal body formed by Sheikh Mansour fell within the prosecution’s mandate to represent the community as well as to preserve its well-being and interests through enforcement of the rule of law.
He said the resolution gave the new public prosecution authority to postpone the implementation of the community service for a person in case it deems inappropriate at that time.