HIBAPRESS – Ahmed Sabbar
In a qualitative step that reflects the profound transformation taking place in the criminal justice system in Morocco, a strategic partnership agreement was signed between the Regional Delegation of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection in the province of Guercif and the local prison administration in Guercif, aiming to implement the provisions of Law No. 43.22 related to alternative sanctions, which opens up new horizons for reform and reintegration.
The signing of this agreement was supervised by Dr. Abdelmajid Bouras, the Regional Delegate for Health and Social Protection, and Mr. Said Hessi, the director of the local prison in Guercif, within the framework of a participatory approach aimed at establishing an integrated local model for implementing alternative sanctions, based on the humanitarian and rehabilitation dimension. This agreement is based on two main axes, the first of which relates to activating the penalty of work for the public benefit, where beneficiaries will be involved in services within the health institutions of the delegation, which enhances the sense of responsibility and positive engagement in serving the community. The second axis concerns therapeutic measures, by providing specialized programs in psychotherapy and addiction treatment, for the benefit of inmates benefiting from this alternative punitive formula. This initiative comes in the context of implementing national directives aimed at modernizing criminal policy, and transitioning from a deterrent punishment logic to a reformative and rehabilitative approach, which seeks to reduce recidivism rates and achieve effective integration of the convicted within the social fabric, in a way that preserves their dignity and serves the public interest. Observers believe that this agreement constitutes a fundamental building block in building a more equitable and effective criminal justice system, and it also reflects the involvement of various public institutions in the reform workshop, and the consolidation of coordination between sectors to achieve common goals that intersect in protecting society and qualifying its individuals. With this signing, Guercif once again confirms its presence at the heart of the reform dynamic, presenting a practical model for how to implement alternative sanctions at the territorial level, with a view to generalizing this experience and enhancing its positive impact on the individual and society.
