Al-Manhaj: Jurnal Hukum dan Pranata Sosial Islam
Vol. 8 No. 1 (2026)

Juvenile Criminal Handling in Indonesia: A Review Through Gustav Radbruch’s Legal Purpose Theory

Alief Abdul Haris (Universitas Islam Darul Ulum Lamongan)
Siti Afiyah (Universitas Islam Darul Ulum Lamongan)
Moh. Hudi (Universitas Islam Darul Ulum Lamongan)
Ahmad Munir (Universitas Islam Darul Ulum Lamongan)



Article Info

Publish Date
09 Jun 2026

Abstract

This study examines the imbalance in the application of justice, legal certainty, and legal expediency in handling juvenile criminal cases in Indonesia. The problem addressed concerns the extent to which regulations and practices in juvenile criminal justice reflect Gustav Radbruch's Legal Purpose Theory. This research aims to analyze the conformity between legal norms and their implementation with the values of justice, legal certainty, and expediency. The study employs a normative legal research method, drawing on statutory and conceptual approaches. Primary legal materials include laws and regulations governing juvenile criminal justice. In contrast, secondary legal materials include books, journal articles, and Supreme Court Annual Reports 2021–2025, particularly statistical data on juvenile criminal cases and diversion practices in Indonesian district courts. The findings demonstrate that, normatively, Indonesia's juvenile justice system has adopted restorative justice through diversion mechanisms, reflecting the values of justice and expediency. However, in practice, there remains an imbalance in implementation, particularly regarding legal certainty and the protection of victims' interests. Statistical data also reveal fluctuations in diversion success rates, suggesting inconsistent implementation across law enforcement institutions. In several cases, the dominance of expediency risks undermining substantive justice. Therefore, strengthening the implementation of juvenile criminal justice is necessary by prioritizing justice while maintaining a proportional balance with legal certainty and expediency.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

almanhaj

Publisher

Subject

Religion Humanities Economics, Econometrics & Finance Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice

Description

Jurnal ini dikelola oleh Fakultas Syariah INSURI Ponorogo dan terbit dua kali dalam satu tahun (Januari dan Juli) dengan E-ISSN 2686-4819 dan P-ISSN 2686-1607. Hadirnya jurnal Al-Manhaj guna mewadahi karya tulis ilmiah dari civitas akademika, peneliti, mahasiswa, dan praktisi di bidang hukum dan ...