<![CDATA[This study analyzes a case of child murder in Kampung Gajah, West Bandung. This study employs General Strain Theory (GST) as its analytical framework. The research design is normative legal, utilizing secondary data comprising primary legal materials, secondary legal materials, and tertiary legal materials. All data were collected through data collection techniques involving documentary analysis and literature review. The data collected in this study were then analyzed using qualitative descriptive techniques. The findings indicate that, from the perspective of GST, the homicide committed by a juvenile in the Kampung Gajah area of West Bandung is categorized as a form of “loss of positive stimuli.” The absence of adequate coping mechanisms to manage the stress resulting from the termination of a friendship served as the primary motive for the homicide. This study introduces a novelty through the application of GST to systematically examine the relationship between emotional strain, the accumulation of negative emotions, and their transformation into aggressive behavior among children. By focusing on friendship dynamics and emotional pressures, the analysis reveals socio-psychological mechanisms that drive delinquency and escalate into criminal acts. The research contributes to the advancement of child criminology in Indonesia by mapping underexplored social-psychological factors and providing an academic foundation for strategies of juvenile crime prevention and child protection within the criminal justice system.]]>
