JHCLS
Vol. 6 No. 2 (2026): Journal of Human Rights, Culture and Legal System

Who Supervises the Supervisors: Between Public Complaints and Legal Certainty ?

Mochammad Hasan (Faculty of Law, Universitas Al Azhar, Jakarta)
Suparji Suparji (Faculty of Law, Universitas Al Azhar, Jakarta)
Aris Machmud (Faculty of Law, Universitas Al Azhar, Jakarta)
Wawan Munawar (Faculty of Law, Universitas Al Azhar, Jakarta)
Mochamad Choirul Huda (Faculty of Law, Universitas Al Azhar, Jakarta)



Article Info

Publish Date
11 Aug 2026

Abstract

Effective supervision of criminal investigations is essential to ensure accountability, legal certainty, and the protection of individual rights within the criminal justice system. However, the institutional placement of the Bureau for Investigation Supervision within the Criminal Investigation Agency raises concerns regarding supervisory independence and the effective resolution of public complaints. This study examines the effectiveness of investigation supervision in handling public complaints, identifies institutional constraints on independent oversight, and develops an institutional model for strengthening investigative accountability. The research employs normative legal research through statutory, conceptual, and case approaches, supported by institutional documents, complaint data, and interviews with relevant officials and legal practitioners. The study produces three principal findings. First, substantive public complaints remained consistently high, reaching 3,488 cases in 2023, 3,782 in 2024, and 3,770 in 2025, while substantive supervisory activities represented approximately 47.5 percent, 44.5 percent, and 49.9 percent respectively, indicating a persistent gap between supervisory demand and institutional response. Second, structural dependence within the investigative hierarchy, limited authority to enforce supervisory recommendations, and inconsistent complaint resolution weaken supervisory independence and undermine legal certainty. Third, effective reform requires transforming the Bureau into an independent Investigation Supervision Division that reports directly to the Chief of the Indonesian National Police and operates through an integrated supervisory structure at national, regional, and district levels. The proposed institutional reconstruction would strengthen supervisory independence, ensure effective corrective action, improve investigative accountability, and provide greater legal certainty for individuals seeking justice.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

JHCLS

Publisher

Subject

Environmental Science Health Professions Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice

Description

Journal of Human Rights, Culture and Legal System is a double-blind review academic journal for Legal Studies published by Research and Social Study Institute. Journal of Human Rights, Culture and Legal System contains several researches and reviews on selected disciplines within several branches of ...