PUTRAJAYA: The community services order programme has churned out promising results in the last 15 years with young offenders breaking their criminal cycles and reintegrating into society, says the Welfare Department (JKM).

JKM Community Service Order Programme (PKM) Division assistant director Norhamiza Puniran (pic, above) said a total of over 1.7 million aggregate hours have been clocked in by the 9,680 cases of trainees under the community services order programme in the last 15 years, 98% of whom are juveniles and children sent for rehabilitation by the courts between 2008 and 2023.

She said of that number, there were 7,748 cases by young offenders, 1,736 cases (children) and 196 (adult offenders).

“Based on the 9,680 cases, PKM trainees have covered 1,716,526 aggregate hours in the same period. This refers to daily activities (maximum of eight hours per day excluding breaks) and camps or programmes (maximum 12 hours per day, excluding breaks).

“Until May 2024, there were 581 active cases consisting of 315 cases (young offenders), 237 cases (children) and 29 cases (adult offenders).

“Based on the 581 cases, the PKM trainees have covered 61,518 aggregate hours,” she said.

The implementation of PKM comes under two Acts, namely the Criminal Procedure Code [Act 593] and the Child Act 2001 [Act 611]. She added that PKM is an alternative punishment to imprisonment that aims to provide rehabilitation and prevent offenders from repeating criminal offences (recidivism).

The implementation of PKM is carried out against offenders who have been given a Community Service Order by the court through three main elements which are punishment (40%), rehabilitation (30%) and repentance (30%), she said.

“When they are doing PKM, they no longer have idle time to waste like hanging out aimlessly or rempit. It helps inculcate a sense of responsibility, thus providing a valuable lesson for the trainees through the three main elements.

“Take the case of Ahmad (see sidebar), you see the realisation and sense of awakening he has after going through the programme, otherwise he would have been in prison for a year for the offence committed.

“The aim is to save offenders from the negative effects of incarceration at a young age, especially for young offenders and children,” she said.

Norhamiza added that this form of punishment allows offenders to continue their education or career as it does not involve being detained in prisons or rehabilitation centres.

Instead, she said it provides exposure to various life skills through community work and learning career and skills programmes (electrical wiring, hair cutting, air conditioning repair, motorcycle/vehicle repair and painting).

By doing so, it helps uncover the hidden capabilities of the trainees while adding more value to existing skills, she pointed out.

“Offenders are also free to continue living with their families and carry out daily activities. This way, their responsibility towards the family is maintained while contributing to society.

“Children and young offenders are very impressionable when they are doing this PKM. If they have a fun or cheerful supervisor, you can see their enthusiasm.

“It is important to ensure they understand, and we need to encourage them because they could have ended up in prison had it not been for the PKM. Not everyone gets a second chance or alternative to redeem themselves, so we must remind them,” she said.For the children and young offenders who have gone through the PKM, they usually end up enjoying themselves with tasks that have been given to them, Norhamiza added.

When asked about the benefit of PKM, which is another form of diversion approach for children and young offenders, she pointed to its original intention that came from the parliament select committee in 2004 – to cut costs and bring back social order for the trainees while addressing the overcrowding issue in juvenile detention system and lowering the crime rate.

“Once the trainees complete their PKM, the court will be notified based on the hours stipulated. As for repeated cases, they do happen but very rarely.

“Presently, children and young offenders are more aware of the Child Act and how it affects them. They usually become more mature about the outlook of their lives,” Norhamiza said.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/08/11/jkm-community-service-programme-showing-promising-results