An Analysis of Indonesian Administration of Criminal Legislation as Instrument of Restorative Justice for Prisoners

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15294/ijcls.v10i1.23946

Keywords:

Restorative Justice, Indonesia Criminal Justice, Criminal Legislations, Instruments, Prisoners

Abstract

This paper seeks to examine the extent to which restorative justice principles have been integrated into Indonesia's criminal justice process, particularly concerning sentenced offenders. However, in Indonesia, while criminal enforcement concerning the rights of suspects and accused individuals are provided in several legislations, the aspects of victims’ protection have remained unattended to. The paper therefore argued for the review of the administration of criminal justice legislations and retraining of officials under the criminal justice system in order to strengthen the justice system and her service delivery. While these reforms are widely regarded as an essential task’s, the paper explores the challenges encountered in implementing restorative justice for Indonesian Prisoners, especially at the investigation stage. The paper’s analysis revealed how law enforcement agencies, like the Indonesian National Police, can practically apply restorative justice principles to create more robust frameworks for its use. Drawing on the analysis of the paper, it argues that despite efforts made to promotes restorative justice, differences still exists between traditional criminal concepts and its applications in Indonesia. Examining the findings of the paper, it concludes that there is need to align investigative methods with restorative justice principles in order to be able to address minor offences effectively and improve community well-being.

Author Biographies

  • Uche Nnawulezi, Faculty of Law, University of Lay Adventist Kigali

    He is an expert in International Humanitarian Law, and have published widely in other aspects of law, which cut across human rights law, refugee and migration law. Aside teaching, he has shown great interest in research and community service within and outside the University environment which he has won several laurels. He is an amicable personality who appreciates team work to achieve a certain objective.

  • Jacques Kabano, Faculty of Law, University of Lay Adventist Kigali

    He is a distinguished scholar of international law and public law, serving as a lecturer at the Faculty of Law at the University of Lay Adventists of Kigali (UNILAK) in Rwanda. He holds a PhD in Public Law and a Master’s Degree in Public Law with a focus on international law, both earned at Ankara University in Turkey. As a practicing lawyer, Dr. Kabano is an advocate admitted to the Rwanda Bar Association and the East African Law Society, with extensive experience in providing legal aid services and consultancy. He is also a partner at Isonga Law Firm in Kigali, where he contributes to legal practice and advocacy. Dr. Kabano is married and based in Kigali, Rwanda.

  • Fadhel Arjuna Adinda, Doctoral Study Program in Legal Sciences, Faculty of Law, Universitas Padjadjaran

    He is a Doctoral Program Student in Law at the Faculty of Law, Padjadjaran University, Bandung-Indonesia. With a focus on Dissertation research on Procedural Law specifically on the aspect of Proof. He has published several journals indexed by Scopus and Sinta. Currently involved in several research, teaching, and legal assistance activities in Indonesia.

  • Dorcas Adesola Thanni, College of Law, Bowen University Iwo, Osun State

    She holds a Doctorate in Law from the University of Ibadan, where she also earned a Master’s degree in Adult Education with a specialization in Communication and Language Arts. With years of experience as a legal officer in the Nigerian Correctional Service, she later served as a directing staff at the Academy, training senior correctional officers. Her research interests include Criminal Law, Criminology, and the health and medical rights of inmates. She currently lectures at Bowen University, Iwo.

  • Mary-Ann Onoshoke Ajayi, College of Law, Bowen University Iwo, Osun State

    She started her teaching career in 2008 at the Faculty of Law, Lead City University, Ibadan, Oyo State. She is the current Head of the Law Programme at Bowen University and also the Head of the Postgraduate Law Programme at Bowen University. Her areas of academic research are Gender Justice, Comparative African Customary Law, Animal Welfare and Rights, and Human Rights. She has published extensively in these areas, with over 58 publications in Nigerian and foreign academic journals. She has attended conferences at both national and international levels, where she presented papers. Her passion for protecting human rights, which is evident in her scholarship, motivated her current research on animal rights. She strongly advocates that animals are the creation of God and deserve reasonable protection. She uses her research as a means to advocate for the protection of animal welfare.

References

Adiyatma, Septhian Eka. “Legal Paradox: Protection of Victims Taking the Law into Vigilantism.” Ius Poenale 4, no. 2 (2023). https://doi.org/10.25041/ip.v4i2.3004.

Adwi Mulyana Hadi, Anik Iftitah, and Syahrul Alamsyah. “Restorative Justice Through Strengthening Community Legal Culture in Indonesia: Challenges and Opportunity.” Mulawarman Law Review 8, no. 1 (2023): 32–44. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.30872/mulrev.v8i1.1140.

Akbar, Muhammad Fatahillah. “Pembaharuan Keadilan Restoratif Dalam Sistem Peradilan Pidana Indonesia.” Masalah-Masalah Hukum 51, no. 2 (2022): 199–208.

Antara, Gede Eka Rusdi, I Nyoman Budiana, and Ida Ayu Sadnyini. “Formulation of Customary Criminal Law in Future Criminal Code and Legal Enforcement in Indonesia.” Substantive Justice International Journal of Law 4, no. 2 (2021): 164–81.

Artadi, Ibnu. “Hukum: Antara Nilai-Nilai Kepastian, Kemanfaatan Dan Keadilan.” Hukum & Dinamika Masyarakat, 2016.

Bazemore, Gordon, and Mara Schiff. Juvenile Justice Reform and Restorative Justice: Building Theory and Policy from Practice. Juvenile Justice Reform and Restorative Justice: Building Theory and Policy from Practice, 2013. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781843926368.

Boom, Annemarie Ten, and Karlijn F Kuijpers. “Victims’ Needs as Basic Human Needs.” International Review of Victimology 18, no. 2 (2012): 155–79.

Budiman, Triyadi Rizki, and Hadi Purnomo. “Restorative Justice in the Indonesian Criminal Justice System.” International Journal of Asia Pasific Collaboration 1, no. 4 (2023): 1–5.

Choi, Jung Jin, Michael J. Gilbert, and Diane L. Green. “Patterns of Victim Marginalization in Victim-Offender Mediation: Some Lessons Learned.” Crime, Law and Social Change 59, no. 1 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-012-9382-1.

Davies, Sharyn Graham, and Jazz Robson. “Juvenile (in) Justice: Children in Conflict with the Law in Indonesia.” Asia-Pacific Journal on Human Rights and the Law 17, no. 1 (2016): 119–47.

Fitriono, Riska Andi, Supanto Supanto, Ismunarno Ismunarno, and Winarno Budyatmaja. “The Role of Customary Criminal Law in Resolving Cases.” In Proceedings of the ASEAN Conference on Sexual Exploitation of Children (ACOSEC 2024)., 288. Springer Nature, 2024.

Flora, Henny Saida. “Perbandingan Pendekatan Restorative Justice Dan Sistem Peradilan Konvensional Dalam Penanganan Kasus Pidana.” AL-MANHAJ: Jurnal Hukum Dan Pranata Sosial Islam 5, no. 2 (2023): 1933–48.

Fosse, Christo. “Restorative Justice: The Politics and Philosophy of an Alternative Approach to Criminal Justice.” Xavier Journal of Politics 9 (2020): 1–12.

Garcia, Virginia, Hari Sutra Disemadi, and Barda Nawawi Arief. “The Enforcement of Restorative Justice in Indonesia Criminal Law.” Legality: Jurnal Ilmiah Hukum 28, no. 1 (2020). https://doi.org/10.22219/ljih.v28i1.10680.

Hariyanto, Diah Ratna Sari, and Dewa Gede Pradnya Yustiawan. “Paradigma Keadilan Restoratif Dalam Putusan Hakim.” Kertha Patrika 42, no. 2 (2020). https://doi.org/10.24843/kp.2020.v42.i02.p06.

Hasibuan, Lidya Rahmadani. “The Concept of Restorative Justice in the Juvenile Criminal Justice System: A Narrative Review of the Indonesian Context.” Scholars International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice 5, no. 7 (2022): 264. https://doi.org/10.36348/sijlcj.2022.v05i07.004.

Hasibuan, Syaiful Asmi, C A P Tarigan, N M S Meliala, and R A C Hutabarat. “Restorative Justice Sebagai Bentuk Hukum Progresif Dalam Peraturan Perundang-Undangan Indonesia Tidak Untuk Menggantikan Keadilan Retributif.” Indonesian Journal of Law 1, no. 1 (2024): 14–25.

Hehanussa, Deassy J.A., Kukun Abdul Syakur Munawar, Muh Fadli Faisal Rasyid, Arianti A. Ogotan, and Arief Fahmi Lubis. “A Critical Review of Restorative Justice Policy in the Indonesian Criminal Justice System Post Law No. 1 of 2023 Concerning the Criminal Code.” Journal Equity of Law and Governance 6, no. 1 (2023): 121–29.

Hidayat, Rofiq. “Perlu Penyeragaman Definisi Keadilan Restoratif Bagi Apgakum.” Hukum Online, November 3, 2022. https://www.hukumonline.com/berita/a/perlu-penyeragaman-definisi-keadilan-restoratif-bagi-apgakum-lt636367fe47cd0/.

Howard Zehr. “Changing Lenses: A New Focus for Crime and Justice.” Corrections Compendium 23, no. 12 (1998).

Junaidi, Muhammad, and Yoghi Arief Susanto. “Reformulation of Customary Criminal Law in the National Criminal Code Based on the Formation of Legislation.” Jurnal Pembangunan Hukum Indonesia 7, no. 1 (2025): 43–60.

Liebmann, Marian. Restorative Justice: How It Works. Jessica Kingsley, 2007.

MacRae, David. “The Root Causes of Crime.” Le Québécois Libre, 2000.

Mukhammad Ardiansyah Tri Saputra, Abid Zamzami, and M. Taufik. “Mediasi Penal Sebagai Alternatif Penyelesaian Perkara.” Universitas Islam Malang, no. 4 (2022).

Oktaviani, Mira Anjar. “Analisis Yuridis Terhadap Sanksi Pidana Pembunuhan Oleh Anak Dibawah Umur Dala Perspektif, Hukum Positif Dan Hukum Islam.” Ponorogo: Universitas Muhammadiyah Ponorogo, 2019.

Osakabe, Yutaka. “Restoring Restorative Justice: Beyond the Theology of Reconciliation and Forgiveness.” International Journal of Public Theology 10, no. 2 (June 2016): 247–71. https://doi.org/10.1163/15697320-12341445.

Prakarsa, Aliyth, and Rena Yulia. Hukum Pidana Adat : Beserta Kajian Terhadap Pasal Pidana Adat Dalam UU No. 1 Tahun 2023 Tentang KUHP. Jakarta: Kencana, 2023.

Prasetya, Viand Dwi, Setiyono Setiyono, and Teguh Suratman. “Implementation of Restorative Justice for Handling of Criminal Acts of Abuse.” EAS Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies 5, no. 02 (2023). https://doi.org/10.36349/easjhcs.2023.v05i02.003.

Priambada, Bintara Sura. “The Urgency of Restorative Justice Regarding Customary Criminal Violations: Harmonization Between Customary and National Criminal Laws.” Pena Justisia: Media Komunikasi Dan Kajian Hukum 22, no. 3 (2023): 847–62.

Safitri, Dina. “Application of Restorative Justice in the Crime of Theft.” NEGREI: Academic Journal of Law and Governance 2, no. 2 (2022): 139.

Setyowati, Dewi. “Memahami Konsep Restorative Justice Sebagai Upaya Sistem Peradilan Pidana Menggapai Keadilan.” Pandecta Research Law Journal 15, no. 1 (2020). https://doi.org/10.15294/pandecta.v15i1.24689.

Siddiq, Nurman, and Rudhiana Salam. “Enhancing Legal Certainty through Legal Reform in Indonesia: Problems and Efforts to Strengthen Legal Institutions.” Strata Law Review 3, no. 1 (2025): 1–14. https://doi.org/10.59631/slr.v3i1.62.

Soekanto, Soerjono. Faktor-Faktor Yang Mempengaruhi Penegakan Hukum. Depok: Raja Grafindo Persada, 2011.

Strang, Robert R. “More Adversarial, but Not Completely Adversarial: Reformasi of the Indonesian Criminal Procedure Code.” Fordham Int’l LJ 32 (2008): 188.

Tri Wibowo, Kurniawan, and Sunarko. “Challenges And Obstacles To The Application Of Restorative Justice On The Criminal Justice System In Indonesia.” International Journal of Law Policy and Governance 2, no. 1 (2023). https://doi.org/10.54099/ijlpg.v2i1.203.

Umbreit, Mark S., and Marilyn Peterson Armour. “Restorative Justice and Dialogue: Impact, Opportunities, and Challenges in the Global Community.” Journal of Law & Policy 36, no. 1 (2010).

Vah Seliskar, Holli. Restorative Justice and Practices in the 21st Century. Restorative Justice and Practices in the 21st Century, 2023. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-6145-7.

Wagiman, Wagiman, and Didi Jubaidi. “Ultimum Remedium Principles: Realizing Restorative Justice For Children In Conflict With The Law.” Krtha Bhayangkara 18, no. 3 (2024): 685–701.

“Why Addressing the Root Causes of Crime Is More Effective Than Incarceration | Faculty of Social Sciences,” April 16, 2024. https://www.uottawa.ca/faculty-social-sciences/news-all/why-addressing-root-causes-crime-more-effective-incarceration.

Wirawan, Ketut Adi. “Restorative Justice as a Law Renewal in Indonesia: A Concept or Theory?” In Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Business Law and Local Wisdom in Tourism (ICBLT 2022), 2023. https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-494069-93-0_86.

Zafarqandi, Sajad Fatahi, and Majid Vaziri. “Comparative Analysis between Traditional and Modern Criminal Procedure Code.” J. Pol. & L. 9 (2016): 97.

Zaid, M, Rabani M Halawa, Kartika Asmanda Putri, Fadhel Arjuna Adinda, and Lamberton Cait. “Eradicating Public Official Corruption Indonesia: A Revolutionary Paradigm Focusing on State Financial Losses.” Wacana Hukum 29, no. 2 (2023). https://doi.org/10.33061/wh.v29i2.9564.

Zulfa, Eva Achjani. “Restorative Justice in Indonesia: Traditional Value.” Indonesia Law Review 1, no. 2 (2011). https://doi.org/10.15742/ilrev.v1n2.81.

Downloads

Published

2025-06-03

Article ID

23946

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 1 (2025): Indonesia J. Crim. L. Studies (May, 2025)

Section

Articles

How to Cite

An Analysis of Indonesian Administration of Criminal Legislation as Instrument of Restorative Justice for Prisoners. (2025). Indonesian Journal of Criminal Law Studies, 10(1), 267-296. https://doi.org/10.15294/ijcls.v10i1.23946