Journal of Law and Criminal Justice

A Systematic Literature Review Concerning Social Work Programmes for Non-Violent Young Adulthood Offenders in Saudi Arabia
Mazen Almohammdi

Abstract
Delinquency of juveniles is an ongoing social problem in Saudi Arabia. Juvenile crime equates to about 30 percent of crimes committed there and it has greatly increased for non-violent crimes committed by male youths (Cohen, 2009). The subject is gaining importance in addressing a contemporary rehabilitation/punitive model which uses social work as an alternative punishment for imprisonment. The present study evaluates the use of community service (‘social work’) as a substitute to detention for juvenile offenders. The data shows that there is scope for alternative penalties for juvenile crimes while also highlighting the proclivity of specialists to using punishments alternative to imprisonment. The study indicates the need to devise field studies in Western nations and gain from their experience and to establish the obstacles facing the transition towards this policy in Saudi Arabia. The study also recommends the need to motivate other scholars to engage in additional research into this field. Finally, this study offers various recommendations based on the scarcity of the reviewed literature in various areas.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jlcj.v9n1a1