Juvenile offenders face community service

The Ministries of Social Affairs and Justice plan to introduce alternative punishment for juvenile offenders such as community service sentences rather than lashes or imprisonment.
The government is likely to introduce the new sentencing proposals by November this year. The ministries are working with a panel of investigators and prosecutors to implement the alternative sentences at correctional facilities.
The plan will be introduced in stages, to reduce the number of youngsters and the time they spend in these facilities. Experts have suggested the recruitment of social workers and psychologists to help with the process.
Sources say that legislative changes are needed to help judges implement the new sentencing arrangements.
A number of judges are not optimistic that the new proposals are feasible. "Even if a system exists, there are no guarantees and mechanisms to monitor the implementation of these rulings," one judge said.
Minors are held in correctional facilities for various crimes including murder, stealing, pick pocketing, ethic violations and traffic accidents. Reports say that 60 percent of juveniles return to these facilities after committing other crimes.
Girls are held for various reasons including running away from home, pregnancy caused by incest, self-mutilation, drug smuggling and murder.
According to a study conducted by a judge at the Justice Ministry, more than 98 percent of judges are in favor of alternative punishments, without abolishing imprisonment, or being lenient with minors. But they want a clear mechanism for implementation.
The study found that most rulings included imprisonment and lashing as punishments, which had significant psychological, social and economic effects on offenders.
About 50 percent of imprisonment judgments have negative and grave complications on families and society, the study found. It proposed that alternative sentencing such as community service without pay should be introduced.
In its observations on visits to correctional facilities, the Human Rights Commission said it found many cases where people had been incarcerated for long periods and lashed, but could have been given community service sentences instead.
Director of Public Relations and Social Media Khalid bin Dakhilallah Al-Thubaiti told a local newspaper the Ministry of Social Affairs seeks alternative penalties because it would be in the best interest of minors. "This represents a modern and civilized way of reform and treatment," he said.
Other judges who participated in drafting the alternative judgments have suggested other means of punishments including having offenders wear electronic bracelets so they can stay at home during their prison sentences, and having them report to police stations at specific times. Other proposals include denying offenders participation in certain activities, forcing them to work or banning them from traveling aboard.
The proposals grant the offender the right to medical or psychological treatment if needed. However, certain offenders would not qualify for alternative sentencing, including those involved in cases of public rights, imprisoned for three years or more or committed crimes where weapons were used.
The proposals state that judges would still have the discretion to determine punishment, particularly in cases where public safety is at stake.