Public Works for Domestic Abuser and Brawler in Ust-Kamenogorsk

Two men in Ust-Kamenogorsk, whose alcohol-fueled disputes led to violence, are now serving their sentences by cleaning up the city's streets. A court sentenced them to a combined 300 hours of community service and placed them under the supervision of the probation service.

One incident occurred during the holidays when a man, instead of breaking up a fight, hit a friend over the head with a bottle. For this, he received 200 hours of community service and mandatory treatment for alcoholism. The second case involved domestic violence, where a man physically assaulted his common-law wife. A timely call to the police saved the woman, and her partner was sentenced to 100 hours of work. His wife noted that he is changing for the better and is glad he was given a chance to reform. After completing his service, he plans to find a job.

"Community service is not just a punishment, but an opportunity to benefit society and start a new, law-abiding life. Probation officers constantly interact with convicts, monitor their work schedules, and help them find a way out of difficult life situations," said Yernar Ilyashev, acting head of the Probation Service Department of the Penitentiary Department for the East Kazakhstan Region.

The convicts are cleaning up garbage in residential areas and manually pulling out overgrown weeds along the roads. One of them, who is on probation, noted that he previously worked as a janitor and knows every corner of the neighborhood. Probationers work four hours a day, cleaning the city streets. However, they should remember that community service is not just serving a sentence, but also a test of their law-abiding nature.

If they ignore the rules of serving their sentence, fail to show up for work, or violate their schedule, they face a harsher punishment, including potential prison time. The sentences handed down by the court must be carried out in full, and compliance is under the strict control of the probation service. This is the last opportunity for these individuals to avoid prison and return to a normal life.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/duis-vko/press/news/details/1048566?lang=kk