Effectiveness of Implementing Restorative Justice in Resolution of Child Crimes
Abstract
This study examines the effectiveness of implementing restorative justice in resolving juvenile criminal cases in Indonesia. Restorative justice, as regulated in Law Number 11 of 2012 concerning the Juvenile Criminal Justice System, emphasizes the principle of “the best interest of the child” by prioritizing diversion to avoid imprisonment. Using a normative juridical approach supported by empirical secondary data from KPAI, the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, and DPR RI, this research analyzes the gap between legal norms and field implementation. Findings show that although the legal framework strongly supports restorative justice, its application remains limited. In 2023, KPAI recorded 7,185 children under the supervision of correctional counselors, but only 2,296 cases were resolved through diversion, indicating suboptimal implementation. The effectiveness of restorative justice is hindered by limited understanding among law enforcers, insufficient institutional infrastructure, and a cultural paradigm that still prioritizes retributive justice. However, the existence of strong regulations, institutional support, and increasing public awareness serve as important supporting factors. The study concludes that restorative justice has significant potential as a humane and child-centered approach, but requires strengthening institutional capacity, enhancing inter-agency coordination, and shifting legal culture to achieve optimal implementation.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Journal:
Abraham, I., A. Ridwan, and D. D. Triana. "Evaluating integrated training for juvenile criminal justice system at the national police education and training center." International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education 13, no. 5 (2024): 3056-3067.
Amanda, Putri K., Shaila Tieken, Sharyn Graham Davies, and Santi Kusumaningrum. "The juvenile courts and children’s rights: good Intentions, flawed execution." The Politics of Court Reform: Judicial Change and Legal Culture in Indonesia (2019): 267-286.
Ariani, Nevey Varida. "Implementasi Undang-Undang Nomor 11 Tahun 2012 tentang sistem peradilan pidana anak dalam upaya melindungi kepentingan anak." Jurnal Media Hukum 21, no. 1 (2014): 16-16.
Arimuladi, Setia Untung. "Enhancing Legal Certainty Through Restorative Justice: A Focus on the Role of Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office." Pakistan Journal of Criminology 16, no. 2 (2024).
Aryana, I. Wayan Putu Sucana. "The Reformulation of Restitution Concept in Juvenile Cases (A Comparative Study with Philippines and Thailand)." Padjadjaran Jurnal Ilmu Hukum (Journal of Law) 7, no. 3 (2020): 400-420.
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): 119-147.
Diarsa, Trian Yuli. "Implementation of Juvenile Reprimand in Indonesia." Yuridika 38, no. 1 (2023): 95–108.
Gunawan, Matthew Marcellinno, Pujiyono Suwadi, and Muhammad Rustamaji. "Comparison of restorative justice implementation in Indonesia, USA, Germany, Poland and Switzerland." Revista de Gestao Social e Ambiental 18, no. 1 (2024): 1-15.
Hadiputra, Adrian, Muhammad Azil Maskur, Ridwan Arifin, Ikram Amrullah, and Hibatullah Maajid. "Juvenile Justice in Comparative Perspective: A Study of Indonesian State Law and Islamic Law." Contemporary Issues on Interfaith Law and Society 3, no. 2 (2024): 203-228.
Harve, Renhard, Syafruddin Kalo, and Ediwarman Alvi Syahrin. "Synchronization of Laws and Application of Diversion in Children Criminal Laws in Conflict." International Journal of Criminal Justice Sciences 16, no. 2 (2021).
Irhammudin, Irhammudin, and Ibrahim Fikma Edrisy. "Restorative Justice in the Implementation of Diversion Against Child Criminal Victims." Nurani: jurnal kajian syari'ah dan masyarakat 22, no. 2 (2022): 223-238.
Juliana, Jesika, Azmawaty Mohamad Nor, and Fonny Dameaty Hutagalung. "" I don't want to do that anymore": Motivation and Strategies to Desistance Among Juvenile Offenders in Indonesia." Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities 33, no. 1 (2025).
Karsudin, Karsudin, and Irma Cahyaningtyas. "Government policy on child crime through the concept of diversion as a solution amid the spread of Covid-19." Lex Scientia Law Review 5, no. 2 (2021): 1-18.
Laksana, Andri Winjaya, Moh Nurul Huda, Hendro Widodo, Dzaka Imtiyaz Iqbal, and Doni Catur Saefudin. "Fiqh Jinayah's Approach to Children Trapped in the Octopus of Narcotics Trafficing." Jurnal Ilmiah Mizani: Wacana Hukum, Ekonomi Dan Keagamaan 12, no. 1 (2025): 309-321.
Le Giang, Vu. "Child Punishment Versus the Principle of Non-Discrimination in the Perspective of Human Rights: A Legal Comparison Between Indonesia and Vietnam." Jurnal Suara Hukum 7, no. 1 (2025): 245–273.
Marlina, and Mahmud Mulyadi. "Building restorative justice in Gampong as a bottom-up legitimisation of the protection of children in conflict with the law in Indonesia: case study in Aceh." Cogent Social Sciences 10, no. 1 (2024): 2347410.
Meyrina, Susana Andi. "Restorative Justice dalam Peradilan Anak Berdasarkan Undang-Undang No. 11 Tahun 2012." Jurnal Penelitian Hukum De Jure 17, no. 1 (2017): 92-107.
Muchtar, Syamsuddin, Irwansyah Irwansyah, Ahsan Yunus, Arnita Pratiwi Arifin, and Markham Faried. "Juvenile Criminal Responsibility in Justice Systems: A Comparative
Study of Judicial Interpretations in Indonesia and Australia." Jambe Law Journal 7, no. 2 (2024): 371-394.
Naf'atun, Ida. "Efektivitas Restorative Justice dalam Menangani Perkara Anak di Bawah Umur." YUDHISTIRA: Jurnal Yurisprudensi, Hukum dan Peradilan 2, no. 1 (2024): 38-45.
Nashriana, Nashriana, Desia Rakhma Banjarani, Marwin S. Del Rosario, and Vera Novianti. "Enhancing Restorative Justice in Indonesia: Exploring Diversion Implementation for Effective Juvenile Delinquency Settlement." Sriwijaya Law Review (2023): 318-334.
Novita Erdianti, Ratri, and Sholahuddin Al-Fatih. "Fostering as an alternative sanction for juveniles in the perspective of child protection in Indonesia." JILS 4 (2019): 119.
Nurhayati, Yati, Ifrani Ifrani, and M. Yasir Said. "Metodologi normatif dan empiris dalam perspektif ilmu hukum." Jurnal Penegakan Hukum Indonesia 2, no. 1 (2021): 1-20.
Philona, Rinda, and Awaludin Awaludin. "Constitutional Values and Restorative Justice: A Critical Analysis in the Indonesian Context." KARSA Journal of Social and Islamic Culture 33, no. 1 (2025): 241-271.
Prasetyono, Lafri. "The Problem of Diversion in Children Perpetrators of Traffic Violations in Indonesia." Jambura Law Review 4, no. 1 (2022): 38-51.
Purba, Yuspika Yuliana, Johan Alfred Sarades Silalahi, Muhammad Fadly Nasution, Van Lodewijk Purba. “Peran Restorative Justice dalam Penyelesaian Kasus Tindak Pidana Anak di Indonesia.” Jurnal Penegakan Hukum dan Masyarakat, 12, no. 1 (2025): 1–12.
Purnamawati, Shinta Ayu, Nurini Aprilianda, Lucky Endrawati, and Faizin Sulistiyo. "Child-friendly justice and children's rights from criminal cases; Islamic Law notes." Legality: Jurnal Ilmiah Hukum 32, no. 1 (2024): 141-154.
Putri, Dina Desvita Pramesti. "Sounding the Justice for Child: Does Restorative Justice Matters?." Journal of Law and Legal Reform 4, no. 3 (2023): 303-324.
Rasdi, Rasdi, Pujiyono Pujiyono, Nur Rochaeti, and Rehulina Rehulina. "Reformulation of the Criminal Justice System for Children in Conflict Based on Pancasila Justice." Lex Scientia Law Review 6, no. 2 (2022): 479-518.
Rismana, Daud, Ali Maskur, Rifi Maria Laila Fitri Permonoputri, Hariyanto Hariyanto, and Hajar Salamah Salsabila Hariz. "The Legal Effectiveness of Juvenile Diversion: A Study of the Indonesian Juvenile Justice System." Khazanah Hukum 7, no. 2 (2025): 190-205.
Rochaeti, Nur, and Nurul Muthia. "Socio-legal study of community participation in restorative justice of children in conflict with the law in Indonesia." International Journal of Criminology and Sociology 10, no. 1 (2021): 293-298.
Rohman, Ahmad. “Efektivitas restorative justice dalam penyelesaian perkara anak di Mataram.” Jurnal Hukum Justin, 12, no. 2 (2024): 45–60.
Sagung Laksmi Dewi, Anak Agung, Hartini Saripan, I. Minggu Widyantara, and Anak Agung Ngurah Adhi Wibisana. "Balinese Local Wisdom's Perspective on Legal Protection for Children as Victims and Perpetrators of Sexual Abuse." Jurnal Hukum Novelty 14, no. 1 (2023): 1412-1467.
Sari, Ratih Mega Puspa, and Sivani Ardi Apritania. "The form of resolution of juvenile delinquency in Indonesia." Jurnal Hukum 40, no. 1 (2024): 118-128.
Sinatrio, Wikan. "The Implementation of Diversion and Restorative Justice in the Juvenile Criminal Justice System in Indonesia." JILS 4 (2019): 73.
Sirait, Trinita Yulinda, and Irma Cahyaningtyas. "Restorative Justice Approach in the Settlement of Children’s Cases in Indonesia." Legality: Jurnal Ilmiah Hukum 27, no. 2 (2019): 232-241.
Sriwiyanti; Saefudin, Wahyu; Aminah, Siti. "Restorative justice for juvenile offenders in Indonesia: A study of psychological perspective and islamic law." J. Islamic L. 2 (2021): 168.
Sulistyo, Edhei, and Nur Rochaeti. "Restorative justice as a resolution for the crime of rape with child perpetrators." International Journal of Criminology and Sociology 10 (2021): 595-602.
Tahi Saoloan, Hutagalung. “The effectiveness of restorative justice implementation in the juvenile criminal justice system in Indonesia.” Jurnal Smart Hukum (JSH), 2, no. 1 (2025): 37–46.
Wahyudi, Setya, Rani Hendriana, Dwiki Oktobrian, and Bhanu Prakash Nunna. "Recomposing the Handover and Return to Parents in the Juvenile Justice System in Indonesia: Dilemma between Best Interest of the Juvenile and Legal Shadow." Volksgeist: Jurnal Ilmu Hukum dan Konstitusi (2025): 263-284.
Zarkasi, Moch Fauzan, Nur Azisa, and Haeranah Haeranah. "Implications of renewal system of criminal justice based on the principles of restorative justice on the role of probation and parole officer." Khazanah Hukum 4, no. 1 (2022): 29-44.
Zubaidah, Siti, Musakkir Musakkir, Syamsuddin Muchtar, Wiwie Heryani, and Ahmad Masum. "Integrating Tradition into Legal Reform: Reconstructing the Role of Reconciliatory Customary Judges in Diversion Processes within the Interplay of Islamic, Customary, and National Law." Jurnal Ilmiah Mizani: Wacana Hukum, Ekonomi Dan Keagamaan 12, no. 2 (2025): 447-461.
Website:
DPR RI. “Isu Sepekan: Evaluasi Diversi Anak Berhadapan dengan Hukum” Berkas DPR go.id, Agustus 2023. Pusat Penelitian DPR RI. Retrieved in October 23, 2025 from https://berkas.dpr.go.id/pusaka/files/isu_sepekan/Isu%20Sepekan---V-PUSLIT-Agustus-2023-215.pdf.
Kemen PPPA. “Disahkannya UU Sistem Peradilan Pidana Anak Menjadi Jaminan Masa Depan Anak.” Kemenpppa, 2012. Retrieved in October 23, 2025 from https://kemenpppa.go.id/berita-pemerintahan/disahkannya-uu-sistem-peradilan-pidana-anak-menjadi-jaminan-masa-depan-anak.pdf.
Komisi Perlindungan Anak Indonesia. “Kertas kebijakan sistem peradilan pidana anak (SPPA).” KPAI, 2023. Retrieved in October 23, 2025 from https://www.kpai.go.id/files/2025/01/SPPA-2023-Kertas-Kebiajakan.pdf.
KPAI. “Kertas Kebijakan Sistem Peradilan Pidana Anak Tahun 2023.” Komisi Perlindungan Anak Indonesia, 2023. Retrieved in October 23, 2025 from https://www.kpai.go.id/files/2025/01/SPPA-2023-Kertas-Kebiajakan.pdf.
Conference:
Rochaeti, Nur, and Pujiyono Pujiyono. "Implementation Study of Restorative Justice for Juvenile Criminal Justice System by Customary Court in Mainland Sulawesi." In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, vol. 156, no. 1, p. 012044. IOP Publishing, 2018.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.26532/ijlr.v9i2.48901
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
International Journal of Law Reconstruction Indexed by :
 | International Journal of Law Recnstruction | |
| Faculty of Law, Unissula | Copyright of International Journal of Law Reconstruction | |
| Jalan Kaligawe Raya KM.4, Terboyo Kulon, Genuk, | E-ISSN 2580-9245 (Online) | |
| Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia, 50112 | IJLR is licensed under a |