Diversion Policy for Children in Conflict with the Law: Evidence from Indonesia
Abstract
This study evaluates the implementation of diversion policy for children in conflict with the law within the Indonesian juvenile justice system in the context of restorative justice. Diversion is intended to protect children from the negative consequences of formal criminal proceedings while promoting accountability, recovery, and social reintegration. This study employed a qualitative evaluative design based on Stake’s Countenance Evaluation Model, which examines policy implementation through three dimensions: antecedents, transactions, and outcomes. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and document analysis related to diversion practices and were analyzed using thematic analysis involving coding, categorization, and theme development. The findings indicate that the legal framework and institutional structures supporting diversion have generally been established; however, limitations remain in terms of human resource capacity, competencies in facilitating restorative justice processes, and the availability of supporting facilities and infrastructure. The implementation process generally follows the procedural stages required by existing regulations, although variations were identified in the quality of restorative dialogue, levels of participation, inter-agency coordination, and the consistency of implementation across cases. The findings further suggest that diversion has generated positive initial impacts by preventing children from entering formal judicial proceedings and creating opportunities for recovery and social reintegration. Nevertheless, the sustainability of these outcomes remains influenced by the quality of implementation, family support, post-diversion monitoring, and broader social acceptance. In addition, monitoring and follow-up mechanisms have not yet been implemented in a systematic and standardized manner. These findings highlight the importance of strengthening institutional capacity, enhancing restorative justice competencies among practitioners, improving cross-sector coordination, and developing sustainable monitoring mechanisms to improve the effectiveness of diversion implementation for children in conflict with the law.
Keywords: Diversion; Restorative Justice; Juvenile Justice; Policy Evaluation; Children in Conflict with the Law.
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