<![CDATA[Legal awareness is a fundamental aspect in the rehabilitation process for children in conflict with the law, particularly those undergoing community service as an alternative form of punishment. In practice, many children carry out community service merely as a formal obligation without understanding the legal and social responsibilities embedded within it. This study aims to analyze the efforts to enhance legal awareness among child clients at the Class I Correctional Facility (Bapas) Manokwari through guidance programs facilitated by correctional counselors. This research employs a juridical-empirical approach, combining an analysis of the legal norms governing community service with empirical data obtained through interviews, observations, and document review. The findings show that counseling methods, educational social activities, and religious-based approaches significantly contribute to improving children’s understanding of legal consequences, responsibility, and the social impact of their actions. Children who received intensive and reflective guidance demonstrated more constructive behavioral changes compared to those who experienced administrative and procedural supervision only. However, the study also identifies several obstacles, including limited human resources, insufficient family support, and weak cross-institutional collaboration. The study concludes that a humanistic and integrative mentoring approach is more effective in fostering genuine legal awareness among juvenile offenders. Therefore, a more comprehensive and sustainable guidance strategy is necessary to support community service as a rehabilitative instrument within the juvenile justice system.]]>
