To address issues relating to juvenile delinquents and vagrants, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) implemented Federal Law No. 9 of 1976, also known as the Juvenile Law. Juvenile refers to a child who has not yet attained the age of eighteen while they had committed a crime. An official documentation is required to verify the juvenile’s age.
The Prosecution of juveniles for crimes
A juvenile under the age of seven cannot be the subject of criminal prosecution, as per Article 6 of the Juvenile Law. If necessary, the court or other appropriate authorities may, nevertheless, impose appropriate educational or treatment measures in these situations. When a minor, between the ages of seven and sixteen, commits a crime, Article 7 permits the judge to consider suitable measures for the juvenile’s rehabilitation instead of applying standard criminal penalties. This places more emphasis on rehabilitation than on harsh punishment.
Article 7 further specifies that the judge may impose measures as specified in the Juvenile Law of the usual legal punishments for those who commit crimes between the ages of sixteen and eighteen. This procedure seeks to achieve a balance between answerability and the requirement for rehabilitation. The lawyers in Dubai are considered the top most attorneys for juvenile law in UAE. Dubai Lawyers have established a good reputation in UAE in last 2-3 decades and known to be good advocates and legal consultants for complicated legal subjects.
Limitations on Penalties
Juveniles may not be subjected to the death penalty, life in prison, or financial penalties, according to Article 9 of the Juvenile Law. If a minor is to face criminal penalties, a maximum ten-year detention term will be used instead of the death penalty or imprisonment. This guarantees that the penalties are more appropriate given the juvenile’s age and stage of development.
Moreover, Article 11 specifies that juveniles are exempt from the provisions about repeat offenses. This demonstrates the law’s emphasis on rehabilitation and its recognition that minors are still going through a developmental stage and are therefore more receptive to change. Once again the attorneys in Dubai are great source to understand the practical implementations of such legal subjects.
Actions That Can Be Done to Stop Juveniles
Article 15 lists several sanctions that can be applied to minors, such as: Rebuking the Juvenile: By Article 16, rebuke entails reprimanding and correcting the juvenile while in court and advising them to act appropriately. Giving the Juvenile to Guardians: Article 17 states that the Juvenile may be given to a parent, tutor, or other relative who can give them the right upbringing and education. Judicial Supervision: When a juvenile is sentenced to detention, Article 18 permits judicial supervision. The juvenile may be placed under supervision with particular limitations while the judge delays the convicting judgment for a maximum of three years.
Article 19: Prohibiting Visits to Specific Places: If it can be demonstrated that a juvenile’s frequent visits to a particular location contribute to their delinquency or vagrancy, the court may order that the juvenile not be allowed to return there.
Banning from Specific Work: If the juvenile’s participation in a given job is connected to their delinquency or vagrancy, the court may use Article 20 to forbid them from doing so.
Article 21: Professional Training Requirement:
Requires the juvenile to complete vocational training. This can be arranged
through factories, trading posts, farms, or government vocational training centers that are willing to take in the juvenile for rehabilitation, with a maximum three-year stay.
