Diversion for Children from the Criminal Justice System: A Comparative Study of Malaysia and Indonesia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32890/jis2025.21.2.1Keywords:
Diversion, criminal justice system, CRC 1989, Malaysia, IndonesiaAbstract
Children’s rights in the criminal justice system are now legally recognised, as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) 1989 provides. Since Malaysia and Indonesia acceded to the CRC, both jurisdictions must provide legal safeguards to all children in the criminal justice system. However, whether these children are adequately protected at every stage of the criminal proceedings remains questionable. Consequently, exposure to the criminal justice system might have detrimental effects on the psychological, cognitive, and emotional development and well-being of children. To overcome these adverse effects, diversion is an alternative measure that can be implemented to protect children better. Thus, this research aims to meet the following objectives: a) to analyse the adequacy of the national laws governing diversion when dealing with children in Malaysia and Indonesia, (b) to examine the international instruments governing the implementation of diversion, and (c) to propose for the implementation of effective diversion for children in both jurisdictions. A doctrinal study was employed to achieve the objectives, and extensive doctrinal research on diversion was conducted. This research demonstrates that sound and informed laws and policies are crucial in improving the legal framework governing diversion, which can positively impact the well-being of children and facilitate their reintegration process. The results of this study are pivotal to stakeholders in both jurisdictions in ensuring children are afforded better legal protection, which aligns with national policies and the international legal framework.
References
Act 611 – Child Act 2001. (2001). https://antislaverylaw.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Malaysia-Child-Act-1.pdf.
Ahmad, N. (2011). The administration of juvenile justice system in Malaysia: Moving towards restorative justice process. Jurnal Intelek, 1(6), 1–6.
Ahmad, N. (2012). Children in conflict with the laws in Malaysia: Complying with human rights protection under the Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989. Law Tides, 5, 60–69.
Ahmad, N. (2017). Diversion of child offenders from the criminal justice system in Malaysia and reforms of the Child Act 2001: Lessons from New Zealand [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. International Islamic University Malaysia.
Ahmad, N., & Kiprawi, H. (2012). A critical study of the pre-trial process in the juvenile justice system in Malaysia under the Child Act 2001. Research Management Institute (RMI) and Malaysia Law Reform Committee.
Ahmad, N., Hamid, A. G., & Wok, S. (2016a). Reoffending among the child offenders in Malaysia: It's time to open our doors to theories underpinning diversionary measures. The Social Sciences, 11(6), 7274–7278.
Ahmad, N., Hamid, A. G., & Wok, S. (2016b). The pre-trial detention of child offenders: Some evidence from Malaysia. The Social Sciences, 11(6), 7210–7214. https://docsdrive.com/?pdf=medwell journals/sscience/2016/7210-7214.pdf
Bhagyamma, G. (2023). A comparative analysis of doctrinal and non-doctrinal legal research. ILE Journal of Governance and Policy Review, 1(1), 88–94.
Casey, S. (2013). Diversion of children in conflict with the law: International standards & practices. UNICEF.
Child Rights International Network. (2009). The Lima Declaration on restorative juvenile justice. https://archive.crin.org/en/library/legal-database/lima-declaration-restorative-juvenile-justice. html
Chong, E. S. Y., Abdul Aziz, M. F., & Thambapillay, S. (2024). Mental health screening in child justice systems: A comparison between Malaysia and selected jurisdictions. Journal of International Studies, 20(2), 277-308. https://doi.org/10.32890/jis2024.20.2. Decision No. 2/Pen.Div/2021/PN Rta jo No. 5/Pid.Sus-Anak/2021/PN Rta on the crime of theft. (2021).
Decisions No.12/pen.Div/2020/PN Kisaran on narcotics crime (2020). Decisions No.12/Pid.Sus-Anak/2014/PN Rantau Prapat, Stipulation No.12/Pen.Div/2020/PN Kisaran on narcotics crime (2014). Decisions No.26/Pid.Sus-Anak/2016/PN Denpasar on narcotics crime (2016). Decisions No/Pen.Div/2020/PN Bbu in conjunction with No/Pid.Sus-Anak/2020 /PN Blambangan Umpu on narcotics crime (2020).
Department of Statistics Malaysia. (2022). Children Statistics 2022. Department of Statistics Malaysia. Determination No.111/Pid.Sus-Anak/2014/PN.Surabaya on narcotics crime (2014). Determination No.3/Pid.Sus-Anak/2020/PN.Tenggaron on narcotics crime (2020).
Dusuki, F. N. (2009). The UN convention on CRC and the administration of juvenile justice: An examination of the legal framework in Malaysia. Asia Law Quarterly, 1(2), 123–140.
Economic and Social Council Resolution (ECOSOC). (1997). Economic and Social Council Resolution (ECOSOC) 1997/30 on administration of juvenile justice. https://www.unodc.org/documents/ commissions/CCPCJ/Crime_Resolutions/1990-1999/1997/ECOSOC/Resolution_1997-30.pdf
Faqurais, Y. (2021). Efek buruk hukuman penjara pada anak (Studi kasus di Lembaga Pemasyarakatan Khusus Anak Kelas II Bandar Lampung). Nusantara Jurnal Ilmu Pengetahuan Sosial, 8(2), 212–220. http://jurnal.um-tapsel.ac.id/index.php/nusantara/article/view/2920/1810.
Gaffney et al. (2024). Protocol: The effect of restorative justice interventions for young people on offending and reoffending: A systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 20(2), e1403. https://doi.org/10.1002/cl2. 1403
Gemici, G. I., Abdurrachman, H., & Ramadhani, D. W. (2024). Comparison of juvenile criminal justice systems in Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia. Indonesia Journal of Engineering and Education Technology (IJEET), 2(1), 111–127.
Ginting, M. S. (Ed.). (2022). Peluang dan tantangan penerapan restorative justice dalam sistem peradilan pidana di Indonesia. Institute for Criminal Justice Reform.
Gunawan, M. M., Suwadi, P., & Rustamaji, M. (2024). Comparison of restorative justice implementation in Indonesia, USA, Germany, Poland and Switzerland. Revista de Gestao Social e Ambiental, 18(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.24857/rgsa.v18n1-055
Hamid, A. G. (2019). Public international law: A practical approach (4th ed.). Sweet & Maxwell.
Human Rights Council. (2009). Resolution A/HRC/RES/10/2 on human rights in the administration of justice, in particular juvenile justice. https://ap.ohchr.org/documents/E/HRC/ resolutions/A_ HRC_RES_10_2.pdf
Human Rights Council. (2019). Report of the working group on the universal periodic review: Malaysia (A/HRC/40/11). https://www.right-docs.org/doc/a-hrc-40-11/
Hutapea, N. M. S., Damanik, J., Sitepu, D. S. K., & Saragih, M. (2023). The application of diversion to perpetrators of criminal acts committed by minors based on Article 1 Number 7 of Law Number 11 of 2012 concerning the juvenile criminal justice system. Journal of Social Research, 2(5), 1815-1823.
Hutchinson, T. (2017). Doctrinal research – Researching the jury. In W. Dean & B. Mandy (Eds.), Research Methods in Law (2nd ed.). Taylor & Francis Group. https://doi.org/10.4324/ 9781315386669
Hutchinson, T., & Duncan, N. (2012). Defining and describing what we do: Doctrinal legal research. Deakin Law Review, 17(1), 83–120. https://doi.org/10.21153/dlr2012vol17no1art70
Lambie, I., & Randell, I. (2013). The impact of incarceration on juvenile offenders. Clinical Psychology Review, 33(3), 448–459. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2013.01.
Latimer, J., Dowden, C., & Muise, D. (2005). The effectiveness of restorative justice practices: A meta-analysis. The Prison Journal, 85(2), 127–144. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032885505276969
Law Number 11 Year 2012, Child Criminal Justice System. (2012). https://www.global-regulation.com/ translation/indonesia/2964526/law-number-11-year-2012.html
Mazlan, M. N., & Mustaffa, A. (2022). The Malaysian juvenile justice system: The compelling need to implement diversion in handling the issue of juvenile delinquency. International Journal of Law, Policy and Social Review, 4(1), 16-23.
McAra, L., & McVie, S. (2007). Youth justice? The impact of system contact on patterns of desistance from offending. European Journal of Criminology, 4(3), 315–345. https://doi.org/10.1177/ 77370807077186
McLaren, K. (2010). Alternative actions that work: A review of the research on police warnings and alternative action. Police Youth Services Group, New Zealand Police. http://www.police. govt.nz/sites/default/files/publications/alternative-actions-that-work.pdf
Mustaffa, A. (2016). Diversion under Malaysian juvenile justice system: A case of too little too late? Asian Criminology, 11, 135–153. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11417-015-9228-
Nathania, J. (2024). Review of child punishment in the juvenile criminal justice system (A comparative study between Indonesia and the United States). Journal of Law, Politics and Humanities (JLPH), 4(6), 2280-2286.
Nugent, W. R., Williams, M., & Umbreit, M. S. (2004). Participation in victim-offender mediation and the prevalence of subsequent delinquent behaviour: A meta-analysis. Research on Social Work Practice, 14(6), 408–416. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731504265831
Penal Reform International & Thailand Institute of Justice. (2023). Global prison trends 2023. https://cdn.penalreform.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GPT-2023.pdf
Penal Reform International. (2021a). Global declaration on justice with children. https://cdn.penalrefo rm.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2021-Global-Declaration-on-Justice-With-Children.pdf
Penal Reform International. (2021b). Kyoto pledge on child rights and criminal justice. https://cdn. penalreform.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Kyoto-Pledge-on-Child-Rights-and-Criminal-Ju stice-final.pdf
Penal Reform International. (2022a). Annual report 2022. Penal Reform International 2023. https://cdn. penalreform.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/PRI-Annual-report-2022.pdf
Penal Reform International. (2022b). The Cape Declaration on decriminalising poverty and status. https://cdn.penalreform.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Cape-Declaration.pdf
Penal Reform International. (2023). External evaluation of the EU-funded project promoting non-discriminatory alternatives to imprisonment across Europe – Evaluation report. Hungarian Helsinki Committee, Penal Reform International & Universidade d Coimbra. https://cdn.penal reform.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/PRI-Alt-Eur-Final-Evaluation-Report.pdf Pendakwara Raya lwn Pesalah Kanak-Kanak 1 dan Satu Lagi [2023] MLJU 476.
Polglase, L., & Lambie, I. (2024). A sharp decline in youth crime: Reviewing trends in New Zealand’s youth offending rates between 1998 and 2019. Current Issues in Criminal Justice, 36(1), 42–62. https://doi.org/10.1080/10345329.2023.2236730
Rahman, F. (2019). Contextualising restorative justice through diversion mechanism: A study of Indonesia juvenile justice system. Indonesia Law Review, 9(3). https://doi.org/10.15742/ilrev. v9n3.584
Rodriguez, N. (2007). Restorative justice at work: Examining the impact of restorative justice resolutions on juvenile recidivism. Crime & Delinquency, 53(3), 355–379. https://doi.org/10. 77/0011128705285983
Sudaryono, L. (2012). Frustrated Indonesians demand changes in the juvenile justice system. The Asia Foundation. http://asiafoundation.org/in-asia/2012/02/01/frustrated-indonesians-demand-chan ges-in-juvenile-justice-system
Surachman, V. A., Susanti, R., & Kamarndin, S. (2024). Analisis perbandingan penegakan hukum tindak pidana kecelakan lalu lintas oleh anak di Indonesia dan Malaysia. Proceedings Series on Social Sciences and Humanities, 463-468. https://doi.org/10.30595/pssh.vl 7i. l 76.
The Swiss Government & Terre Des Hommes Foundation. (2015). World Congress on Juvenile Justice Geneva Declaration 2015. https://eurocef.eu/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2013/07/World-congress-Juvenile-Justice-2015-FINAL-DECLARATION-ENG.pdf
Tobing, S. J. A. B. (2024). The diversion program implementation under the Juvenile Justice System Act in Indonesia: What works, what does not? Journal of Indonesian Probation and Parole System, 2(1), 46-60. https://doi.org/10.61682/restorative.vZil.
Umbreit, M. S. & Armour, M. P. (2011). Restorative justice and dialogue: Impact, opportunities and challenges in the global community. Washington University Journal of Law & Policy, 36, 65–89. https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/law_journal_law_policy/vol36/iss1/ United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) & Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (MWFCD). (2013). The Malaysian juvenile justice system: A study of mechanisms for handling children in conflict with the law. UNICEF.
United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). (1989). Convention on the Rights of the Child (General Assembly in Resolution A/RES/44/25). https://www.un.org/en/developme nt/desa/population/migration/generalassembly/docs/globalcompact/A_RES_44_25.pdf
United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). (2007). Consideration of reports submitted by state parties under Article 44 of the Convention – Concluding observations: Malaysia (44th session, CRC/C/MYS/CO/1). https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/ 602560?ln= en&v=pdf
United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). (2003). General comment no. 5 (2003) on general measures of implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Articles 4, 42 and 44 para 6). https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/ treatybodyexternal/Download. aspx?symbolno=CRC%2FGC%2F2003%2F5&Lang=en
United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). (2019). General comment no. 24 (2019) on children’s rights in the child justice system. https://digitallibrary.un.org/ record/3899429?ln=en&v=pdf
United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). (2014). Consideration of reports submitted by state parties under Article 44 of the Convention: Concluding observations on the combined third and fourth periodic reports of Indonesia (CRC/C/IDN/CO/3-4). https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=CRC %2fC%2fIDN%2fCO%2f3-4&Lang=en
United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). (2024). Combined second to fourth periodic reports submitted by Malaysia under Article 44 of the Convention, due in 2012 (CRC/C/MYS/2-4). https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download. aspx?symbolno=CRC%2FC%2FMYS%2F2-4&Lang=en
United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). (2023). The combined fifth and sixth periodic reports submitted by Indonesia under Article 44 of the Convention are due in 2019 (CRC/C/IDN/5-6). https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download.as px?symbolno=CRC%2FC%2FIDN%2F5-6&Lang=en
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (2018). World Congress on Justice for Children Paris Declaration. https://cdn.penalreform.org/wp-content/uploads/ 18/07/J4C2018-Declaration.pdf
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2013). Justice in matters involving children in conflict with the law: Model law on juvenile justice and related commentary. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. https://www.unodc.org/documents/congress//background-information/ Justice_for_Children/Justice_Matters_Involving-Web_version.pdf
United Nations. (1985). United Nations standard minimum rules for the administration of juvenile justice (Beijing Rules). https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/unit ed-nations-standard-minimum-rules-administration-juvenile
United Nations. (1990a). United Nations rules for the protection of juveniles deprived of their liberty (Havana Rules) (A/RES/45/113). https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instrum ents/united-nations-rules-protection-juveniles-deprived-their-liberty
United Nations. (1990b). United Nations standard minimum rules for non-custodial measures (Tokyo Rules) (A/RES/45/110). https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/ProfessionalInte rest/tokyorules.pdf
United Nations. (2001). We, the children: End-decade review of the follow-up to the World Summit for Children (A/S-27/3). https://digitallibrary.un.org/ record/441465?ln=en&v=pdf
United Nations. (2008). UN common approach on justice for children. https://resourcehub01.blob. core.windows.net/training-iles/Training%20Materials/034%20RTP-CP_Police/034-020%20U N%20Common%20Approach%20to% 20Justice%20for%20Children%202008.pdf
United Nations. (2019). Global study on children deprived of liberty (General Assembly A/74/136). https://undocs.org/A/74/136
Van Ness, D. W., Morris, A., & Maxwell, G. (2001). Introducing restorative justice. In A. Morris & G. Maxwell (Eds.), Justice for Juveniles, Conferencing, Mediation and Circles (pp. 3–16). Hart Publishing.
Wahyudi, D., & Soponyono, E. (2024). Criminal law policy towards the concept of diversion as an act to safeguard children who commit criminal crimes in the context of criminal law reform. International Journal of Social Science Research, 7(2), 221-228. http://dx.doi.org/10.47814/ ijssrr. v7i2.2000
Wangga at al. (2023). Diversion: The concept of child criminal case resolution in Indonesia. Law and Humanities Quarterly Reviews, 2(2), 93–100. https://doi.org/10.31014/aior.1996.02. 02.62
Yulia, R., Setiadi, E., Sofin, A., & Johar, O.A. (2024). Diversion as a form of restorative justice for child offenders in Indonesia: A study on the implementation of social research recommendations. Journal of Law & Sustainable Development, 12(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10. 55908/sdgs.v12i1.2456
Zehr, H. (2002). The little book of restorative justice. Good Books.
