Effectiveness of Criminal Punishment for Perpetrators of Child Neglect: A Study at the Directorate of General Criminal Investigation, Aceh Regional Police
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30601/humaniora.v10i2.8282Keywords:
Child neglect, Criminal punishment, Child protection, Restorative justice, Crime prevention, Aceh Regional PoliceAbstract
Child neglect is classified as a form of violence against children under Law Number 35 of 2014 on Child Protection and seriously affects children’s physical, mental and social development, yet it receives less public and enforcement attention than physical or sexual abuse. This study examines (1) how criminal law is applied to perpetrators of child neglect in the jurisdiction of the Directorate of General Criminal Investigation of the Aceh Regional Police and how effective it is in preventing neglect, and (2) the measures taken by its investigators to tackle the offence. Using a juridical-empirical approach, the study combined statutory analysis with observation and interviews with officers handling child neglect cases, of which seven were recorded in 2023. The findings show that investigators rely mainly on Articles 76B and 77B of the Child Protection Law, supported by the Criminal Code and the Domestic Violence Law, and apply restorative justice when the perpetrator is a biological parent. Criminal sanctions alone have not prevented neglect: low public awareness, stigma, economic hardship and limited resources for victim recovery weaken their effect. Investigators combine pre-emptive, preventive and repressive measures, but these remain constrained. The study recommends integrating punishment with perpetrator rehabilitation, victim recovery and cross-sector collaboration, and aligning enforcement with the new Criminal Code in force since January 2026.Downloads
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