Explanation of Social Labor Service

Offenders who are sentenced to imprisonment for not more than six months may apply for social labor service.

To participate, individuals must register with the designated executive body in a timely manner and comply with certain requirements, including performing specified tasks and adhering to behavioral norms.

Social labor service is not available to individuals who are physically or mentally unfit. This includes the elderly, the weak, those with incomplete or severe illnesses, or those who may have difficulty following the conditions of social labor service. Prosecutors may decide not to grant social labor service to individuals who are unable to comply with the rules or pose challenges to maintaining law and order.

One day of imprisonment is equivalent to six hours of social labor service, which must be completed within one year.

This regulation became effective on September 1, 2009.

Money and Freedom: A Growing Issue

In some cases, where the offense carries a maximum punishment of no more than five years’ imprisonment, an offender sentenced to imprisonment for six months or less may have their sentence commuted to a fine. However, financial disparity creates a problem. Each year, around 45,000 individuals face financial difficulties and are unable to pay their fines, leading them to serve jail time. This situation is unfair and ineffective in addressing the issue of short-term imprisonment.

The Effectiveness of Social Labor Service

• Addressing the Inequities of Short-Term Imprisonment: Social labor service provides an alternative to jail time, helping to resolve the issue of offenders who cannot afford fines.
• Assisting Offenders in Reintegrating into Society: It offers an opportunity for offenders to make amends and reintegrate into society by contributing positively through labor.
• Creating Value: Social labor allows offenders to transform from being a burden on the system (costs of incarceration) to becoming productive contributors who generate value.
• Alleviating Prison Overcrowding and Reducing Costs: By implementing social labor, the prison population is relieved, and the government saves on the costs of corrections and incarceration.