The new criminal laws in India, including the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), introduce several alternatives to imprisonment, shifting towards a more reformative approach.
Here are some key alternatives:
1) Community Service: The BNS introduces community service as a form of punishment for certain offenses. This aims to provide an alternative to traditional imprisonment, addressing issues like prison overcrowding and promoting offender rehabilitation. For instance, the BNS adds that community service may also be imposed as punishment for theft where the value of the stolen property is less than Rs 5,000, the offender is a first-time offender, and the stolen property is returned or its value is restored.
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