The agreement will facilitate compliance with the measures ordered by the Juvenile Court through community service in the municipalities themselves.
The Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia and the Ministry of Social Policy, Families and Equality have signed a new collaboration agreement to facilitate community service for minors with court-ordered measures in their local areas.
The agreement, signed by the president of the Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia, Víctor López Abenza, and the Minister of Social Policy, Families and Equality, Conchita Ruiz, will be valid for four years and will strengthen collaboration with the municipalities so that these young people can fulfill these measures in their municipality, promoting their social inclusion and repairing the damage caused in their immediate environment.
The president of the FMRM, Víctor López Abenza, has stressed that “the collaboration of the Federation of Municipalities is fundamental to getting more and more town councils to join this agreement, because it is the local entities that can make it possible for these minors to perform community service in their own town, without having to travel to other municipalities.”
López Abenza recalled that the previous agreement involved the collaboration of 43 of the 45 municipalities in the Region of Murcia , a figure that demonstrates “the municipalities’ commitment to social inclusion, values-based education, and support for individuals.” In this regard, he indicated that the objective of this new agreement is “to achieve 100 percent municipal participation,” incorporating all the municipalities in the Region.
“The most important thing for any mayor is to respond to the needs of their constituents. And this agreement allows precisely that: to offer a useful, accessible, and humane response, both to the minors who need a real opportunity to rectify the mistake they made and to the people and municipal services that can benefit from these actions,” stated the Federation president.
López Abenza pointed out that this agreement “transforms the court-ordered measure into a real opportunity for the minor to become aware of the mistake made, repair the damage caused, and do so within a familiar, normalized, and familiar environment.” In this regard, he added that “when a young person can serve this measure in their own town, close to their family, their school, and their daily life, reintegration is much more likely to be successful.”
Furthermore, the Federation's president highlighted the social component of these actions, since many of the assigned tasks are linked to supporting the elderly, people with special needs, or areas related to municipal social services.
“It’s not just about complying with a measure, but about the child understanding that their actions have consequences and that they can also contribute positively to their community, helping those who need it most,” said López Abenza.
During the past year, a total of 70 adolescent and young adult offenders in the Region of Murcia carried out these types of measures, primarily for offenses related to vandalism, robbery, or theft. This figure represents 17 more minors than in 2024. According to the data provided, 85 percent were male and 97 percent were over 16 years old.
These community service programs, mandated by the Juvenile Court in final judgments, are unpaid activities and an alternative to detention. In the Region of Murcia, they last an average of 20 to 100 hours and may consist of socio-educational tasks, accompanying the elderly or people with special needs, maintaining parks and gardens, cleaning public furniture, or other activities of social interest to the municipality.
The Minister of Social Policy, Families, and Equality, Conchita Ruiz, highlighted the high effectiveness of these measures during the signing ceremony, noting that "95 percent of minors do not reoffend," and emphasized their educational and socializing value. She further explained that the goal is for minors "to become aware of the harm they have caused, to take responsibility for their actions, and to understand the impact these actions have had on their immediate environment."
For the implementation of these measures, minors are accompanied by an educator who guides the process to ensure the program has a positive effect on their reintegration, is proportionate to the offense committed, and also addresses the social needs of the community. This professional also works directly with the minor's family to promote more effective integration.
Víctor López Abenza expressed his gratitude for the willingness of the municipalities in the Region of Murcia to participate and encouraged local entities to continue joining this initiative. “From the Federation, we will continue working to bring this agreement closer to the municipalities, because local government is the closest to the citizens and also the one best positioned to offer useful, humane solutions tailored to each specific situation,” he concluded.
In 2025, 40 percent of the measures implemented involved the participation of local councils, while the remaining 60 percent were supported by non-profit entities.
