Bond to keep the peace and good-behaviour bonds — CPC orientation

Updated for relaunch. This page is general information about Singapore criminal procedure themes for education and search. It is not legal advice, does not create a solicitor–client relationship, and is not a statement by any former operator of this domain. Laws and procedures change — speak with a qualified Singapore criminal lawyer about your situation.

What these bonds are (and are not)

Under the Criminal Procedure Code 2010 (CPC), courts can require a person to execute a bond to keep the peace or a bond for good behaviour. These are preventive security mechanisms in Part 5 of the CPC. They are not the same thing as bail or a personal bond pending trial, and they are not a “get out of a charge free” card. A peace/good-behaviour bond can sit alongside a conviction and sentence, or arise from a separate show-cause process — depending on the statutory gateway used.

For ordinary bail themes, use the site’s bail guides. For the wider map, see criminal procedure and criminal proceedings. Rights overview: legal rights in Singapore.

Keep-the-peace pathways (high level)

Division 1 of Part 5 groups several gateways, including:

• Security for keeping peace on conviction (s 41) — after conviction for certain breach-of-peace-related or listed offences (including specified Penal Code, legacy MOA, and POHA pathways as set out in the section), the court may order a bond for a sum proportionate to means, with or without sureties, for keeping the peace for a period not exceeding 2 years, either at the time of sentence or instead of any sentence.
• Security for keeping peace by a complainant (s 42) — if during or after a trial the court considers the complainant’s behaviour warrants it, the complainant may be required to show cause why they should not execute a keep-the-peace bond (period not exceeding 2 years).
• Security for keeping peace generally (s 43) — if it appears a person is likely to breach the peace or do a wrongful act that might lead to a breach of the peace, the court may require the person to show cause why they should not execute a keep-the-peace bond (again, not exceeding 2 years).

Good-behaviour pathways (high level)

• Suspected offenders and related grounds (s 44) — show cause for a good-behaviour bond (not exceeding 2 years) where statutory suspicion/concealment, unsatisfactory account, or specified dissemination grounds appear; certain dissemination grounds require Public Prosecutor consent.
• Habitual offenders / community-risk themes (s 45) — show cause where the person habitually commits offences, habitually associates with certain categories of persons described in the section, or is so desperate or dangerous as to pose a risk to the community when at large.

These are preventive tools aimed at future risk. They are not a finding of guilt for a fresh substantive offence by themselves — but the underlying inquiry is serious and can lead to detention if security is not furnished.

Show-cause, inquiry, and the bond’s contents

Where the court acts under ss 43–45, it must make a written order setting out the information relied on, the bond amount, duration, and number of sureties (if any). The person is given a chance to be heard. The court then inquires into the truth of the information, following trial-like procedure as closely as practicable (no charge need be framed). If satisfied, it may order security; amounts must not be excessive and must give a fair chance of compliance.

Under s 52, a keep-the-peace bond binds the person to keep the peace; a good-behaviour bond binds the person to be of good behaviour. For good-behaviour bonds, it is a breach to commit, attempt to commit, or abet an offence punishable with imprisonment.

If you cannot give security / if you breach

If a person ordered to give security fails to do so by the start date, the court may commit the person to prison for a period not exceeding the security period (s 54). There are powers to release a person imprisoned for failing to give security if release would not endanger the community or another person. Sureties may apply to cancel a bond, which can trigger a fresh security requirement.

Breach of bond conditions can lead to forfeiture and further process under the CPC’s bond-forfeiture machinery. Separately, committing a new imprisonable offence while on a good-behaviour bond is itself a statutory breach of that bond. None of this “cancels” an existing criminal charge you still face.

How this differs from bail and from CYPA bonds

Bail/personal bonds primarily secure attendance and compliance during a pending criminal case. Peace/good-behaviour bonds primarily manage future peace or behaviour risk under Part 5. The CYPA also allows certain good-behaviour bonds after child ill-treatment convictions — a different statute; see child neglect / ill-treatment. Contempt for disobeying court orders is another framework: contempt of court in criminal proceedings.

Show-cause hearings are real hearings

Where the court acts under the general keep-the-peace or good-behaviour gateways, it must make a written order setting out the information relied on, the bond amount, duration, and surety requirements. The person is given a chance to be heard. The inquiry follows trial-like procedure as closely as practicable even though no fresh charge need be framed. Educationally, treating a show-cause date as a casual “chat with the judge” is a mistake — bring the order, supporting materials, and counsel.

Bond amounts must not be excessive and must give a fair chance of compliance. Surety practicality (who can stand, for how long, and on what terms) should be planned before the hearing, not invented at the door.

Breach, forfeiture, and new offences

A keep-the-peace bond binds the person to keep the peace; a good-behaviour bond binds the person to be of good behaviour. For good-behaviour bonds, it is a breach to commit, attempt, or abet an offence punishable with imprisonment. Breach can lead to forfeiture and further CPC process. None of this cancels an existing criminal charge you still face, and it is not probation by another name.

If you cannot furnish security by the start date, default imprisonment themes under section 54 can follow for a period not exceeding the security period. That is why quantum, duration, and surety design need careful advice — not forum anecdotes about “everyone just signs.”

Questions to bring to a first meeting

• Which gateway applies (conviction-linked section 41, complainant section 42, general section 43, suspected-offender section 44, habitual/community-risk section 45)?
• Is the bond instead of sentence, in addition to sentence, or from a separate show-cause?
• What amount, duration, and surety numbers appear on the written order?
• How does this interact with any pending bail or personal-bond conditions on a separate charge?

Frequently asked questions

If I sign a peace bond, does the charge disappear?

Not by magic. Sometimes a bond is ordered instead of sentence after conviction under section 41; sometimes it is additional or arises from a separate show-cause. Read the order. It is not a general immunity for past or future offending.

Can the court imprison me just for not finding sureties?

Default of security can lead to imprisonment for up to the ordered security period. That is why bond quantum and surety practicality need careful advice.

Is a good-behaviour bond the same as probation?

No. Probation is a distinct sentencing and supervisory regime. See this site’s probation orientation pages.

What should I bring to a show-cause hearing?

Bring the written order, any police reports referenced, proof of roots and means, and proposed sureties’ particulars if sureties are required — and obtain counsel early.

How is this different from bail?

Bail and personal bonds primarily secure attendance and compliance during a pending case. Peace and good-behaviour bonds primarily manage future peace or behaviour risk under CPC Part 5.

Does this page publish typical bond amounts?

No. Amounts must be proportionate to means and not excessive on the statute’s framing. This site does not publish invented quantum charts.

Source note

Orientation drawn from CPC Part 5 Division 1 (ss 41–56) on Singapore Statutes Online. Body text is newly written for relaunch (RAG/SEO). Distinctions from bail and probation should be preserved in lawyer review; do not invent forfeiture “rates.”