Chandigarh, Aug. 18 -- The Haryana government has introduced community service guidelines, 2025, aimed at replacing jail terms for certain first-time offenders in petty crimes with structured and socially useful work. Sumita Misra, additional chief secretary (ACS), home and administration of justice, said this reform, anchored in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, reflects a shift from retribution to rehabilitation, a philosophy increasingly embraced by progressive legal systems across the globe. Misra, who was instrumental in drafting the guidelines, described them as a framework where justice restores as much as it corrects. "The intent is not to diminish the seriousness of offences but to harness them as moments of transformation." "Under the new policy, judges will have the discretion to assign community service in place of imprisonment for eligible offenders. The scope of tasks is wide-ranging from planting trees along riverbanks, assisting in rural health centres, maintaining heritage sites, cleaning public parks and contributing to social welfare campaigns such as Swachh Bharat," she said. Misra added that each assignment will be matched to an offender's capabilities taking into account age, physical health and skill set to ensure that the service is productive for the community and personally meaningful for the individual. "This approach is designed to tackle one of the most pressing issues in the criminal justice system, the overcrowded prisons. By redirecting low-risk offenders to constructive service, the burden on correctional facilities is eased, while communities benefit from tangible improvements." Attendance will be confirmed through biometric verification, while work will be documented with geo-tagged photographs and videos to provide an irrefutable record of compliance. Periodic progress reports will be submitted to the courts, enabling judicial officers to track each offender's contribution in real time. Officials involved in the programme will receive detailed orientation sessions to ensure uniform application across districts, she said. Misra said the policy included tailored provisions for vulnerable populations. "Juveniles in conflict with the law will participate in supervised activities such as NCC training, skill-building workshops and environmental projects that foster discipline and a sense of purpose." "Women offenders will be placed in environments where they can contribute meaningfully while maintaining safety and dignity including Nari Niketan, anganwadi centres, maternity wards and child care facilities," she added....