Increase understanding and communication

Oct 13, 2025 by magicalceylontours.com 129 views

Implementation of Alternative Policies to Overcome Overcapacity at the Class IIA Women's Penitentiary in Tanjung Gusta, Medan City

Introduction

The problem of overcapacity at the Class IIA Women's Penitentiary in Medan City has been a pressing issue for years. Despite efforts to increase the capacity of buildings and implement social sanctions, the problem persists. In response, the government has launched alternative policies in the form of restorative justice. This study aims to examine and analyze the implementation of alternative policies in overcoming overcapacity problems in the Penitentiary.

Background

The Class IIA Women's Penitentiary in Tanjung Gusta, Medan City, has been facing a significant challenge in managing its population. The increasing number of inmates has put a strain on the facility's resources, leading to overcrowding and related problems. The government has attempted to address this issue by increasing the capacity of buildings and implementing social sanctions. However, these efforts have not been effective in resolving the problem.

Methodology

This study employed a descriptive qualitative approach to examine the implementation of alternative policies in overcoming overcapacity problems in the Penitentiary. Data collection was conducted through interviews, observation, and documentation. The data obtained were then analyzed qualitatively using the implementation theory proposed by Edward III, which includes communication, resources, dispositions, and bureaucratic structures.

Results

The results of this study showed that the communication channel between the Penitentiary, the Police, and the Medan District Prosecutor's Office in implementing the Restorative Justice policy was good. Clarity in the implementation of this alternative policy was very positive, given the many results produced, such as reducing overcapacity problems and communication consistency in implementation. This alternative policy was running effectively because every individual understood their duties, although from the perspective of prisoners, communication was still not entirely adequate.

Human Resources

In terms of human resources, the Class IIA Class Penitentiary Institution of Tanjung Gusta can be said to be quite good, both in terms of the number of personnel and skills owned. Human resources assigned to the implementation of restorative justice from the Medan District Attorney's Office also did not experience deficiencies or skills. Authority to carry out restorative justice policies was based on their respective duties, which have been regulated in Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning Criminal Code and Regulation of the Indonesian National Police Head Number 8 of 2021.

Attitude of Policy Implementers

However, the attitude shown by the policy implementers was quite varied. Although the interview results showed a good attitude from the executive, the views of the inmates were different, stating that the attitude of prison officers was not good. In addition, the prison officer also claimed not to know the existence of standard operating procedures (SOP) for the implementation of restorative justice, because until now they had never received it. The same thing happened at the Medan District Attorney's Office, where prosecutors and judges also did not know the existence of SOPs, because usually the implementation of restorative justice was based on requests from the police.

Conclusion

The implementation of this policy also shows how the importance of collaboration between relevant institutions in creating a more just and humanist justice system, as well as paying attention to the rights of prisoners. Along with the development of this policy, it is expected that there will be concrete follow-up to ensure that these rights are protected and that long-term solutions can be implemented more effectively.

Recommendations

Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are made:

Increase understanding and communication: There needs to be an effort to increase understanding and communication between all related parties, including prisoners.
Develop standard operating procedures: The absence of SOPs for restorative justice caused by this policy is an alternative policy and not a program that should have SOPs. Thus, there needs to be an effort to develop SOPs for the implementation of restorative justice.
Improve attitude of policy implementers: The attitude shown by the policy implementers needs to be improved, particularly in terms of communication and understanding of the rights of prisoners.
Collaboration between institutions: Collaboration between relevant institutions is crucial in creating a more just and humanist justice system. Therefore, there needs to be a stronger collaboration between the Penitentiary, the Police, and the Medan District Prosecutor's Office in implementing restorative justice.

Limitations of the Study

This study has several limitations, including:

Small sample size: The sample size of this study was small, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Limited data collection: The data collection for this study was limited to interviews, observation, and documentation, which may not provide a comprehensive understanding of the implementation of restorative justice.
Time constraint: The study was conducted within a limited time frame, which may not allow for a thorough analysis of the data.

Future Research Directions

Future research should focus on:

Large-scale study: A large-scale study should be conducted to examine the implementation of restorative justice in more detail.
Longitudinal study: A longitudinal study should be conducted to examine the long-term effects of restorative justice on the Penitentiary and its inmates.
Comparative study: A comparative study should be conducted to examine the differences between restorative justice and other forms of justice in Indonesia.
Q&A: Implementation of Alternative Policies to Overcome Overcapacity at the Class IIA Women's Penitentiary in Tanjung Gusta, Medan City

Q: What is the main problem faced by the Class IIA Women's Penitentiary in Tanjung Gusta, Medan City?

A: The main problem faced by the Class IIA Women's Penitentiary in Tanjung Gusta, Medan City is overcapacity. The increasing number of inmates has put a strain on the facility's resources, leading to overcrowding and related problems.

Q: What are the alternative policies implemented to overcome overcapacity at the Class IIA Women's Penitentiary?

A: The alternative policies implemented to overcome overcapacity at the Class IIA Women's Penitentiary are restorative justice. This policy aims to reduce the number of inmates by providing alternative sentences and rehabilitation programs.

Q: What is restorative justice?

A: Restorative justice is a form of justice that focuses on repairing the harm caused by a crime, rather than punishing the offender. It involves the offender, the victim, and the community in a process of healing and reparation.

Q: How does restorative justice work in the context of the Class IIA Women's Penitentiary?

A: In the context of the Class IIA Women's Penitentiary, restorative justice involves the offender, the victim, and the community in a process of healing and reparation. The offender is given the opportunity to take responsibility for their actions and make amends to the victim and the community.

Q: What are the benefits of restorative justice in the context of the Class IIA Women's Penitentiary?

A: The benefits of restorative justice in the context of the Class IIA Women's Penitentiary include:

Reduced recidivism rates
Improved relationships between offenders and victims
Increased sense of community and social cohesion
Reduced stigma and shame associated with incarceration

Q: What are the challenges faced by the implementation of restorative justice at the Class IIA Women's Penitentiary?

A: The challenges faced by the implementation of restorative justice at the Class IIA Women's Penitentiary include:

Limited resources and funding
Limited understanding and support from the community
Limited training and capacity of staff
Limited access to technology and infrastructure

Q: What are the recommendations for improving the implementation of restorative justice at the Class IIA Women's Penitentiary?

A: The recommendations for improving the implementation of restorative justice at the Class IIA Women's Penitentiary include:

Increasing understanding and support from the community
Providing training and capacity-building for staff
Increasing access to technology and infrastructure
Developing standard operating procedures for restorative justice

Q: What is the future of restorative justice in Indonesia?

A: The future of restorative justice in Indonesia is promising. The government has shown a commitment to implementing restorative justice as an alternative to traditional punishment. However, there are still many challenges to be addressed, including limited resources and funding, limited understanding and support from the community, and limited training and capacity of staff.

Q: How can the community get involved in restorative justice?

A: The community can get involved in restorative justice by:

Providing support and resources for offenders and victims
Participating in restorative justice circles and conferences
Advocating for restorative justice policies and programs
Providing training and capacity-building for staff

Q: What are the benefits of community involvement in restorative justice?

A: The benefits of community involvement in restorative justice include:

Increased sense of community and social cohesion
Improved relationships between offenders and victims
Reduced stigma and shame associated with incarceration
Increased sense of responsibility and accountability among community members.