Enforcement of alternative penalties is more cost-effective for the State and likely to see more offenders rehabilitated than imprisoned, according to Dr. Muhammad Bin Abdul Kareem Al-Issa, Minister of Justice. He said people should only be sentenced to prison as a last resort and in cases where they are a threat to national and social security. Al-Issa made the comments while addressing a forum entitled “Modern trends toward alternative penalties” here, Saturday. The event was organized by the Ministry of Justice as part of the King Abdullah Project for the Development of the Judiciary. Al-Issa said that even if the best care was offered to inmates in prison, they would still miss the warmth of their families. “It should also be borne in mind that housing prisoners is a huge drain on the government's financial resources. Moreover, studies show that prisons are not the most ideal disciplinary and deterrent tools. So it is advisable that prisons be reserved for those who have criminal records and are a threat to peace and security.” He said alternative penalties are not substitutes for penalties under Islamic law which is derived from the Holy Qur'an and Prophet's Sunnah. Al-Issa said “this misconception or misunderstanding will be erased” from people's minds when they realize alternative penalties are only used to replace certain crimes where corporal punishment is being used. He said that using corporal punishment for certain crimes is not allowed under Islamic law. The ministry is trying to ensure that judges do not resort to corporal punishment when passing judgment in some cases. He said alternative punishment is allowed under Islam and that this shows the flexibility of the Shariah. Al-Issa said judges will enforce alternative penalties after taking into account an offender's age, gender and criminal record. If such penalties do not succeed because of deep rooted criminal behavior, then others may have to be considered, added Al-Issa.
