Community Service Executed Without Enough Conviction May Get You Convicted

In the light of reports received by the Abu Dhabi Public Prosecution regarding a lack of commitment and discipline in the performance of State dictated punitive community service, it has been held that the Courts can substitute such services for jail time, for the duration of the sentence or until its completion.

Punitive Community Service

Provisions under Section 7, Article 111 of the Federal Law by Decree No. (31) of 2021 govern the different criminal measures that maybe imposed on a convict, under which Article 111(4) provides community service as a freedom restricting measure. The Articles 121, Article 122, Article 123 and Article 124 state that in cases of petty crimes wherein jail time does not exceed 6 months, alternative punishments in the form of compulsory community services may be decreed by the court. The period of community service enforced on the convict, must not exceed three months.