Journal of Law and Nation
Vol. 4 No. 4 (2026): Journal of Law and Nation

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IN THE NEW CRIMINAL CODE: A LITERATURE REVIEW ANALYSING THE SHIFT IN THE PARADIGM OF PUNISHMENT FROM RETRIBUTIVE TO REHABILITATIVE IN INDONESIA

Gunawan Widjaja (Universitas Krisnadwipayana, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
08 Jun 2026

Abstract

The New Criminal Code, enacted through Law No. 1 of 2023, marks a renewal of national criminal law by positioning punishment no longer merely as retribution, but also as a means of prevention, rehabilitation of offenders, conflict resolution, and the restoration of balance between offenders, victims and society. Within this framework, restorative justice has gained an increasingly important position as an approach that reflects the shift in the paradigm of punishment from retributive to rehabilitative and restorative in Indonesia. This study aims to analyse the implementation of restorative justice in the New Criminal Code and to examine the accompanying shift in the paradigm of punishment through a literature review approach. The method used is a literature review. The findings indicate that the New Criminal Code accommodates a more humanistic approach to punishment through an emphasis on victim restoration, the social reintegration of offenders, the use of alternative sanctions, and the restriction of imprisonment to a last resort. Furthermore, the implementation of restorative justice in practice still requires harmonisation of regulations among law enforcement agencies, strengthening of institutional capacity, and a common understanding among officials to prevent disparities in application. Thus, restorative justice in the New Criminal Code can be understood as part of the transformation of Indonesia’s penal system towards a model that is more rehabilitative, corrective, and responsive to the needs for substantive justice in society.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

SOLICLAW

Publisher

Subject

Description

Focuses on literature and field studies on law-related matters. The scope is related to legal theory, E-Commerce law, Legal and Deductive Reasoning, International Law, Constitutional Law, Contract Law, administrative law, International Law environment, Money theft, business law, Civil and Criminal ...