Effectiveness Of The Role Of Correctional Center In Implementing Diversion For Children In Conflict With The Law In Medan Correctional Center

Abstract

The Correctional Center (Balai Pemasyarakatan or Bapas) is a Technical Implementation Unit of the Correctional System responsible for conducting community research, guidance, assistance, and supervision of correctional clients, including children in conflict with the law, as stipulated in Law Number 22 of 2022 concerning Corrections. Within the Juvenile Criminal Justice System, the Correctional Center plays a strategic role in implementing diversion as a form of restorative justice that prioritizes the best interests of the child. Based on this strategic function, this study aims to analyze the effectiveness of the Correctional Center's role in implementing diversion for children in conflict with the law at the Class I Medan Correctional Center, identify the factors inhibiting the implementation of diversion, and examine the efforts undertaken to improve the effectiveness of restorative justice-based diversion. This study employed an empirical legal research method with a qualitative approach. Data were collected through observation, semi-structured interviews, and documentation, and analyzed using data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing techniques. The findings indicate that the Correctional Center plays an effective role in implementing diversion through the preparation of Social Inquiry Reports (Litmas), assistance for children in conflict with the law, facilitation of mediation between offenders and victims, and supervision of the implementation of diversion agreements. The diversion success rate increased from 84.62% in 2024 to 88.06% in 2025, indicating the increasingly effective performance of Community Counselors (Pembimbing Kemasyarakatan) in supporting the settlement of juvenile cases outside the formal criminal justice process. The main obstacles identified include the limited number of Community Counselors, the low level of public understanding of diversion, and the lack of optimal coordination among law enforcement agencies. Efforts to improve the effectiveness of diversion include legal awareness programs for the public, capacity building for Community Counselors through mediation training, and strengthening inter-agency coordination. The novelty of this research lies in its analysis of the effectiveness of the Correctional Center's role in implementing diversion under the framework of Law Number 22 of 2022 concerning Corrections, with particular emphasis on the contribution of Community Counselors in realizing restorative justice for children in conflict with the law.