Amman: A delegation from the Steering Committee of the Iraqi National Strategy for Aftercare learned about Jordan's experience in implementing non-custodial penalties during a visit to the Jordanian Ministry of Justice. During the meeting, attended by Taghreed Jabr, Regional Director of Penal Reform International - Middle East and North Africa Office, Walid Kanakrieh, the Ministry's Secretary-General for Judicial Affairs, highlighted the strong Jordanian-Iraqi relations and the countries' commitment to enhancing cooperation and sharing expertise in legal and judicial matters.
According to Jordan News Agency, Kanakrieh explained that Jordan began applying alternative sentences following amendments to the Penal Code in 2017. These alternatives are designed for first-time offenders and minor offenses that do not threaten security and public order. The aim of these alternative punishments is to mitigate the adverse effects of imprisonment, allow convicts to maintain their social ties, facilitate their rehabilitation and reintegration into society, reduce overcrowding in correctional facilities, and prevent first-time offenders from interacting with individuals with serious criminal backgrounds.
The Iraqi delegation received detailed insights into the indicators and types of alternative penalties, the conditions under which they are applied, and the online monitoring system, which employs electronic bracelets. The presentation also covered the monitoring and detection mechanism for violations and the e-system developed for overseeing the implementation of these alternatives, in collaboration with partner agencies.
Furthermore, a ministry statement indicated that both sides reviewed community service programs and campaigns executed in partnership with ministries, government institutions, and joint services councils. The discussions also included rehabilitation programs conducted at the Vocational Training Corporation (VTC) and the Zaha Cultural Center, which are instrumental in enhancing and reforming the behavior of convicts to benefit the public interest.