<![CDATA[The implementation of the concept of restorative justice in handling minor criminal cases is a concrete example of the shift in the national criminal law enforcement paradigm, which originally focused on retribution, towards restoring the original state (restitutio in integrum) for victims, perpetrators, and society. This study aims to comprehensively examine the operational mechanisms of applying restorative justice in resolving minor theft cases and to analyze the determining factors that affect its success at the Jombang Police Resort, from the perspective of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code. This empirical legal research uses a juridical-sociological approach. Primary data was obtained through in-depth interviews with investigators from the Criminal Investigation Unit, the Head of Women and Children Protection Unit, and the Head of Community Guidance at the Jombang Police, which were then compared with secondary legal materials. The research results show that the mechanism for resolving minor theft cases at the Jombang Police is carried out through a penal mediation process outside the formal court system (out-of-court settlement). This process emphasizes a deliberation-based approach involving the victim, the perpetrator, their families, and community leaders, which leads to a written peace agreement, compensation for the victim, and the issuance of an Investigation Termination Order. The success of implementing restorative justice is supported by the clarity of legal substance (Police Regulation Number 8 of 2021 and Law Number 1 of 2023) as well as the local wisdom of the community. However, its application still faces practical obstacles, such as strong desires for revenge from some victims, investigators being cautious in using their discretionary powers, and the lack of uniform technical understanding among law enforcement agencies. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare integrated technical guidelines between institutions to optimize this criminal law reform.]]>
