Article 27 Federal Criminal Code

The treatment at liberty of criminally responsible persons, consisting of the application of labor, educational and curative measures, as the case may be, authorized by the law and conducive to the social reinsertion of the sentenced person, under the guidance and care of the executing authority. Its duration may not exceed that corresponding to the prison penalty substituted.

Semi-liberty implies alternation of periods of deprivation of liberty and of treatment at liberty. It shall be applied, according to the circumstances of the case, in the following manner: release during the work or educational week, with confinement on the weekend, weekend release, with confinement during the rest of it; or daytime release, with nighttime confinement. The duration of semi-liberty may not exceed that corresponding to the prison penalty substituted.

Work in favor of the community consists of the rendering of unpaid services, in public educational or social assistance institutions or in private assistance institutions. This work shall be carried out in working days within periods different from the schedule of the labors that represent the source of income for the subsistence of the subject and of his family, without it being able to exceed the extraordinary working day that the labor law determines and under the guidance and surveillance of the executing authority.

Work in favor of the community may be an autonomous penalty or a substitute for imprisonment or for the fine.

Each day of imprisonment shall be substituted by one working day in favor of the community.

The length of the working day shall be fixed by the judge taking into account the circumstances of the case.

Under no circumstances shall this work be carried out in a manner that results degrading or humiliating for the sentenced person.