AL-Ishlah : Jurnal Ilmiah Hukum
Vol 29 No 1 (2026): December 2025 - May 2026

The Effectiveness of Restorative Justice in Judicial Decisions: The Transformation of the Sentencing Paradigm in Indonesia

Palimai, Alif Fajar Herihanli (Unknown)
Pawennei, Mulyati (Unknown)
Paweenei, Mulyati (Unknown)
Badaru, Baharuddin (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
02 Mar 2026

Abstract

This study examines the effectiveness of implementing restorative justice within Indonesia’s sentencing system in light of recent criminal law reform. Restorative justice, which emphasizes victim recovery, offender accountability, and social reconciliation, reflects values long embedded in Indonesia’s customary traditions. The enactment of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code marks a significant normative and philosophical shift from retributive punishment toward restoration and social balance. Despite the availability of various regulatory frameworks and institutional guidelines, challenges remain, particularly in procedural law, regulatory fragmentation, limited institutional capacity, and prevailing retributive legal culture. Using a normative juridical approach supported by conceptual and statutory analysis, this research evaluates the consistency between restorative justice principles and their practical application in judicial decisions. The findings indicate that restorative justice in Indonesia is in a transitional phase, with stronger implementation in juvenile and minor offense cases, while broader application still requires harmonization of criminal procedure law, enhanced judicial capacity, and systemic coordination among law enforcement agencies. Strengthening these aspects is essential to ensure that restorative justice becomes a substantive and consistent paradigm within Indonesia’s modern sentencing system.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

ishlah

Publisher

Subject

Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice

Description

Al-Ishlah : Jurnal Ilmiah Hukum adalah jurnal peer review yang diterbitkan dua kali setahun Mei dan November oleh Fakultas Hukum Universitas Muslim Indonesia sejak Tahun 1998, dimaksudkan untuk menjadi jurnal untuk penerbitan hasil penelitian tentang hukum baik studi empiris dan normatif, terutama ...