Overcrowding in Bahrain's prisons has prompted demands for the immediate launch of a government-backed community service scheme.

The initiative was first announced by Justice and Islamic Affairs Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa in February, but has yet to be introduced.

Human rights activists say the situation is now so bad that the programme must be pushed up the government's agenda.

It would see offenders fined or jailed for less than three months put to work instead of just being locked up.

They would work for BD5 ($13.2) per hour but not get the money, which would instead go towards paying off fines or financial penalties calculated in lieu of jail time.

Offenders will be expected to help teach skills such as carpentry to the handicapped or elderly as well as carrying out public maintenance, gardening and cleaning.

Bahrain Human Rights Society (BHRS) assistant general-secretary Dr Abdulla AlDeerazi said the scheme's implementation was vital to help reduce overcrowding in prisons and detention centres.

"It has to be put into practice immediately," he said. "It is about time that they introduce this system."

"It is good to have a law like this proposed by the minister but what we need is to put it into action."

Al Deerazi also believes community service could be a key factor in preventing people convicted of minor crimes such as traffic offences and verbal abuse from committing fresh offences.

"I think community service could be very important, especially for first-time offenders and minor offences as well as juveniles," he told the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

"As an alternative to prison punishment for minor offences it could be successful, especially in a small country like Bahrain," he opined.

Dr Al Deerazi said a tagging system, to keep track of the whereabouts of offenders, could be used to help supervise those taking part in the scheme and ensure they fulfilled their duties.

"The danger with prisons is that a person who has committed an offence for the first time gets mixed with those who have been there for years and they can be influenced and learn more 'skills' while in jail," he said.

"But if they are doing community service they will feel they are useful to society and will be able to see the tangible results of their work.

"If it does not work their detention can continue but at least we give them the choice of an alternative."

He said community service would also save the government money, as instead of paying for prisoners to be locked up they could be in the community making a contribution to society.

The BHRS became the first NGO in the Arab world to make independent visits in 2005 and Dr Al Deerazi believes Bahrain is the ideal country to introduce such a liberal proposal.-TradeArabia News Service