Monday, Aug 31, 2015
When minors below the age of 18 break the law, it is often possible that their crime can be treated as an error without recourse to the full weight of the law and use of prison sentences. This is why it is encouraging that the head of Family Prosecution in Abu Dhabi has announced a significant increase in the number of juveniles sent for ‘judicial test’ rather than jail. Under this regime, the young people stay at home and over a year are regularly interviewed by social workers and specialists to monitor their progress, with a report back to the judge who decides if the individual should stay at home or be referred for a new sentence, which may include jail term.
This humane style of tackling crime by minors is a commitment to reforming young people rather than taking the simple option of punishing them by sending them to jail. It also prevents young people from meeting a wide range of hardened criminals in jail, where they may learn disastrous social attitudes and pick up criminal skills and contacts. It shows an enlightened attitude to crime that points to a more wholesome society.
By Gulf News
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