Legal Protection for Children through Diversion Mechanism in Criminal Justice
Keywords:
diversion, restorative justice, juvenile criminal justice, child protection, juvenile justice systemAbstract
This study analyzes the diversion policy in the juvenile criminal justice system based on Law Number 11 of 2012 concerning the Juvenile Criminal Justice System and its implementation in judicial practice in Indonesia. A normative juridical approach is utilized through literature study of primary, secondary, and tertiary legal materials. The results of the study indicate that diversion is the transfer of the settlement of juvenile cases from formal judicial channels to out-of-court settlement channels using a restorative justice approach. The implementation of diversion involves the police, prosecutors, judges, community advisors, as well as victims and their families. The application of diversion still faces obstacles in the form of a lack of understanding among law enforcement officials, weak inter-agency coordination, and limited victim support. Enhancing the capacity of law enforcement officials, strengthening coordination, and conducting public socialization are necessary to improve the effectiveness of the diversion policy as an instrument of legal protection for children.
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