Legal Politics of Handling Children as Perpetrators of Criminal Acts: A Comparison of Indonesia and the Philippines from the Perspective of Customary Law and Children's Rights
), Dian Eka Kusuma Wardani(2), Nurmiati Muhiddin(3), Princess Alyssa D. Tee-Anastacio(4)
(1) Faculty of Law, Universitas Sawerigading, Makassar, Indonesia
(2) Faculty of Law, Universitas Sawerigading, Makassar, Indonesia
(3) Faculty of Law, Universitas Sawerigading, Makassar, Indonesia
(4) Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela, Philippines
Corresponding Author
Abstract
Introduction: The treatment of children as perpetrators of criminal acts has become a significant issue in the development of modern law, particularly with regard to the protection of children’s rights and the integration of local values. Indonesia and the Philippines, as countries with different legal traditions, present an important dynamic for study.
Purposes of the Research: The purpose of this research is to analyze the differences in the legal politics of Indonesia and the Philippines in addressing juvenile offenders, focusing on the implementation of diversion in Indonesia and the juvenile justice system in the Philippines, while also examining the integration of customary or community-based mechanisms and the protection of children’s rights in both jurisdictions.
Methods of the Research: This study employs normative legal research with comparative and conceptual approaches. Data were collected through literature review of statutory provisions, academic doctrines, scholarly literature, and relevant international instruments on children’s rights. The analysis was conducted qualitatively and descriptively to compare norms, practices, and the implications of legal politics in both countries.
Results of the Research: The findings of this study demonstrate that the legal politics of both countries, through the integration of customary law and the protection of children’s rights, serve as a fundamental basis for the normative framework in addressing children as perpetrators of criminal acts. In Indonesia, customary law is implicitly integrated through the mechanism of diversion as regulated in Laws of the Juvenile Criminal Justice System. In contrast, in the Philippines, customary or community-based law is explicitly integrated by involving the barangay tanod in handling juvenile offenders during the diversion process under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 (RA 9344). These findings contribute to advancing Indonesia’s legal policy toward a more humane, inclusive, and internationally aligned juvenile justice system.Keywords
DOI
10.47268/sasi.v31i4.3394
Published
2025-10-25
How To Cite
@article{SASI3394,
author = {Raodiah Raodiah and Dian Eka Wardani and Nurmiati Muhiddin and Princess Tee-Anastacio},
title = {Legal Politics of Handling Children as Perpetrators of Criminal Acts: A Comparison of Indonesia and the Philippines from the Perspective of Customary Law and Children's Rights},
journal = {SASI},
volume = {31},
number = {4},
year = {2025},
keywords = {Legal Politics; Juvenile Offenders; Customary Law; Children's Rights.},
abstract = {Introduction: The treatment of children as perpetrators of criminal acts has become a significant issue in the development of modern law, particularly with regard to the protection of children’s rights and the integration of local values. Indonesia and the Philippines, as countries with different legal traditions, present an important dynamic for study.Purposes of the Research: The purpose of this research is to analyze the differences in the legal politics of Indonesia and the Philippines in addressing juvenile offenders, focusing on the implementation of diversion in Indonesia and the juvenile justice system in the Philippines, while also examining the integration of customary or community-based mechanisms and the protection of children’s rights in both jurisdictions.Methods of the Research: This study employs normative legal research with comparative and conceptual approaches. Data were collected through literature review of statutory provisions, academic doctrines, scholarly literature, and relevant international instruments on children’s rights. The analysis was conducted qualitatively and descriptively to compare norms, practices, and the implications of legal politics in both countries.Results of the Research: The findings of this study demonstrate that the legal politics of both countries, through the integration of customary law and the protection of children’s rights, serve as a fundamental basis for the normative framework in addressing children as perpetrators of criminal acts. In Indonesia, customary law is implicitly integrated through the mechanism of diversion as regulated in Laws of the Juvenile Criminal Justice System. In contrast, in the Philippines, customary or community-based law is explicitly integrated by involving the barangay tanod in handling juvenile offenders during the diversion process under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 (RA 9344). These findings contribute to advancing Indonesia’s legal policy toward a more humane, inclusive, and internationally aligned juvenile justice system.},
issn = {2614-2961}, pages = {361--373} doi = {10.47268/sasi.v31i4.3394},
url = {https://fhukum.unpatti.ac.id/jurnal/sasi/article/view/3394}
}
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| 1. | Title | Title of document | Legal Politics of Handling Children as Perpetrators of Criminal Acts: A Comparison of Indonesia and the Philippines from the Perspective of Customary Law and Children's Rights |
| 2. | Creator | Author's name, affiliation, country | Raodiah Raodiah; Faculty of Law, Universitas Sawerigading, Makassar; Indonesia |
| 2. | Creator | Author's name, affiliation, country |
Dian Eka Kusuma Wardani; Faculty of Law, Universitas Sawerigading, Makassar; Indonesia |
| 2. | Creator | Author's name, affiliation, country | Nurmiati Muhiddin; Faculty of Law, Universitas Sawerigading, Makassar; Indonesia |
| 2. | Creator | Author's name, affiliation, country |
Princess Alyssa D. Tee-Anastacio; Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela; Philippines |
| 3. | Subject | Discipline(s) | |
| 3. | Subject | Keyword(s) | Legal Politics; Juvenile Offenders; Customary Law; Children's Rights. |
| 4. | Description | Abstract | Introduction: The treatment of children as perpetrators of criminal acts has become a significant issue in the development of modern law, particularly with regard to the protection of children’s rights and the integration of local values. Indonesia and the Philippines, as countries with different legal traditions, present an important dynamic for study.Purposes of the Research: The purpose of this research is to analyze the differences in the legal politics of Indonesia and the Philippines in addressing juvenile offenders, focusing on the implementation of diversion in Indonesia and the juvenile justice system in the Philippines, while also examining the integration of customary or community-based mechanisms and the protection of children’s rights in both jurisdictions.Methods of the Research: This study employs normative legal research with comparative and conceptual approaches. Data were collected through literature review of statutory provisions, academic doctrines, scholarly literature, and relevant international instruments on children’s rights. The analysis was conducted qualitatively and descriptively to compare norms, practices, and the implications of legal politics in both countries.Results of the Research: The findings of this study demonstrate that the legal politics of both countries, through the integration of customary law and the protection of children’s rights, serve as a fundamental basis for the normative framework in addressing children as perpetrators of criminal acts. In Indonesia, customary law is implicitly integrated through the mechanism of diversion as regulated in Laws of the Juvenile Criminal Justice System. In contrast, in the Philippines, customary or community-based law is explicitly integrated by involving the barangay tanod in handling juvenile offenders during the diversion process under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 (RA 9344). These findings contribute to advancing Indonesia’s legal policy toward a more humane, inclusive, and internationally aligned juvenile justice system. |
| 5. | Publisher | Organizing agency, location | Faculty of Law, Universitas Pattimura |
| 6. | Contributor | Sponsor(s) | |
| 7. | Date | (YYYY-MM-DD) | 2025-10-25 |
| 8. | Type | Status & genre | Peer-reviewed Article |
| 8. | Type | Type | |
| 9. | Format | File format | |
| 10. | Identifier | Uniform Resource Identifier | https://fhukum.unpatti.ac.id/jurnal/sasi/article/view/3394 |
| 10. | Identifier | Digital Object Identifier | 10.47268/sasi.v31i4.3394 |
| 11. | Source | Title; vol., no. (year) | SASI; Volume 31 Issue 4, December 2025 (in-progress Issue) |
| 12. | Language | English=en | en |
| 13. | Relation | Supp. Files | |
| 14. | Coverage | Geo-spatial location, chronological period, research sample (gender, age, etc.) | |
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