Officials appraise men sent for community service
abu dhabi — Public prosectors in Abu Dhabi visited six young men, sentenced to community service, to review their performances.
The men had been ordered to maintain and clean public parks, beaches, streets, public libraries and mosques, as well as serve at petrol pumps for three months. They had been convicted for traffic offences including reckless driving, road stunts and racing.
Khalid Al Shamsi, director of the community service office in Abu Dhabi, said: “We visited them to ensure they are committed to the community service work. The work aims to benefit the public, in addition to reforming the convicts and change their behaviours.”
The public prosecutors oversee implementation of the community service and receive reports on the offenders’ performance. If the convict fails to perform the service well, prosecutors can refer him to court, for a jail sentence similar to the period of the community service. Community service replaced detention in minor crimes that do not invite more than six months imprisonment or a fine.
The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department said early this year that 84 convicted people were ordered to perform community service since the implementation of the new penalty in March 2017. Authorities said the introduction of community service also led to a significant decrease in the number of drivers being prosecuted for reckless driving. A total of 20 motorists were prosecuted for reckless driving in the first six months of 2017, compared to 35 in 2016.