ABU DHABI // The number of young people appearing in court on criminal charges has fallen dramatically since the introduction of a reconciliation process.
Juvenile court cases almost halved to 492 last year from 991 in 2013. The main reason was reconciliation, to which the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department turned for more petty cases, said Mohammed Al Dhanhani, head of family prosecution.
Mediation for offences such as vandalism freed up the courts for more serious cases and protected the reputation of young people and their families
“When a simple case such as vandalising a door, which in some cases is purely accidental, comes to us we choose to keep it instead of taking it into court,” he said.
“This way we are more able to contain the issue instead of referring it to court, while maintaining the juvenile’s and his family’s reputation.
“When a child or an adolescent commits a crime it is because there is a societal disturbance and there are circumstances that lead him to do it.
“If the case is referred to court his name will go under a criminal record, and he will be subject to a legal verdict. Our role is to try to keep the cases from being referred to court.”
Of the 492 cases last year, 86 per cent were for misdemeanours and 1,017 young people aged between 12 and 18 were found guilty.
Thirty-nine per cent were related to traffic offences, 21 per cent to theft and 18.5 per cent involved physical assault.
Mr Al Dhanhani said dangerous cases, such as drug abuse or “crimes of honour”, should be referred to court.
“I recognise here that he needs reform and rehabilitation. The judge in this case will know where the adolescent needs to go for that,” he said.
The department’s education programme in schools was also a factor in fewer juvenile trials.
“Our awareness focuses on the harmful results, like the legal responsibility,” he said. “The juvenile might understand that the action he is committing is wrong and unacceptable, and he is fine with it. When he knows of the results he will think again.
“Sometimes they think if the police get to them then that is the end, there will be no prosecution, because they don’t know what the prosecution process is.”
“When we inform them what the consequences could be, they are more afraid of committing the crime,” Mr Al Dhanhani said. “We have, in this way, prevented them from committing other harmful acts.”
Hadeya Hammad, a lawyer who deals with juvenile cases, said there were many factors leading to adolescent crime, including emotional or mental illnesses.
“Whenever there are circumstances such as disease or neglect, it could lead to criminal behaviour,” Ms Hammad said.
“When puberty hits, a biological and physiological phase takes place in the body causing a great mental and emotional gap, which then creates emotional instability and weak willpower.”
External factors also have a role in forming an adolescent’s personality, which could lead to criminal behaviour.
“Any environmental issue like family disintegration or a death in the family, or not having a proper role model, or not having enough religious knowledge sometimes creates a feeling of hate or constant pressure on the adolescent,” Ms Hammad said.
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champioons League semi-final:
First leg: Liverpool 5 Roma 2
Second leg: Wednesday, May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
TV: BeIN Sports, 10.45pm (UAE)
RESULTS
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,000m
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2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
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3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
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3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
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4pm: Gulf Cup presented by Longines Prestige (PA) Dh150,000 (D) 1,700m
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4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
