UAE: Over 100 juveniles prosecuted in 2022

The UAE Federal Public Prosecution for Juveniles said it dealt with 116 juvenile cases during last year.

That is down by 15 per cent from 137 cases in 2021, involving teenagers with majority being boys.

Assaults, fights, traffic offences and consuming drugs were the most common crimes.

The Federal public prosecutors said on their website that the number of teenagers involved in crimes has significantly reduced over the recent years.

In 2020, 175 juveniles were prosecuted compared to 208 during 2019. The number of teenagers involved in crimes during 2018 was 313.

Prosecutors attributed the decrease in the number of teenagers involved in crimes to the efforts exerted by security authorities, schools, parents and other bodies to raise awareness among youngsters on good behaviours and the dangers of bad groups and involving in crimes.

Police across the UAE frequently carry out awareness campaigns to educate youngsters on the dangers of drugs, unlicensed driving and other crimes.

Authorities also educate children about the law and are being familiarised with investigation and court proceedings, which can also serve as a deterrent to committing crimes.

Police and prosecutors have always urged parents to be more involved in their children's lives and to monitor their activities to protect them from bad groups that can lure them into committing crimes.

Article 6 of the UAE Juvenile Law sates that criminal prosecution will not be instituted against a juvenile who has not completed the age of seven. However, the court or the competent authorities may order, under all circumstances, to take the suitable educational or treatment measures, if necessary.

Sanctions for juveniles over the age of seven and less than 16 who commit a criminal offence are left to the judge. If the juvenile is over 16, the judge would rule according to the law.

Juveniles, however, are not subject to capital punishment and cannot be sent to an adult prison or face financial sanction.

According to Article 10 of the penal code stipulates: 1, in cases where an adult would be subject to the death penalty or imprisonment, a juvenile would face a maximum of 10 years in detention. And in cases where the adult crime is punishable by imprisonment, the juvenile detention penalty should not exceed half the adult period that was set for the crime.

The law also stipulates that detention of juveniles will be at locations that provide social care and education.

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• UAE