Urgensi Penyelesaian Tindak Pidana Ringan Melalui Restorative Justice

Abstract

The criminal justice system in Indonesia has faced various problems in handling minor crimes, such as lengthy legal processes, high costs, substantive injustice, and disproportionate punishments. Minor crimes that cause minimal damage and carry low penalties often still go through inefficient formal procedures, placing a burden on law enforcement officials, victims, and perpetrators. This article aims to analyze the urgency of implementing restorative justice as an alternative paradigm in resolving minor crimes. The method used is normative legal research with a legislative, literature, and bibliographic approach. The results of the analysis show that restorative justice emphasizes the recovery of victims' losses, the acknowledgment of perpetrators' responsibility, and the maintenance of social harmony. This approach is faster, more efficient, proportional, and more humane than the conventional judicial system. Restorative justice is also in line with Indonesian cultural values such as deliberation and consensus, and supports the reduction of recidivism, the optimization of state resources, and the social reintegration of perpetrators. The application of restorative justice in minor criminal offenses is a strategic necessity to achieve an effective criminal justice system that is substantively fair and responsive to community needs.