EFFECTIVENESS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGAINST DRUG ABUSE FROM A RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Law enforcement against drug abusers in Indonesia is still dominated by a repressive, punitive approach, despite Law Number 35 of 2009 concerning Narcotics and several supporting policies, such as Attorney General's Guidelines Number 18 of 2021 and Supreme Court Circular Letter Number 4 of 2010, which have opened up opportunities for the implementation of restorative justice. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of law enforcement against drug abusers using a restorative justice approach and examine the implementation obstacles encountered at the practical level. The research method used is normative juridical with a descriptive qualitative approach, based on regulatory analysis and empirical data from various authoritative sources such as the National Narcotics Agency, the Directorate General of Corrections, and scientific journals. The results show that although the restorative justice approach has been normatively accommodated, its implementation is still hampered by poor understanding among officials, unpreparedness of rehabilitation infrastructure, weak assessment mechanisms, and cultural resistance to the recovery paradigm. In many cases, drug abusers are still directed toward criminal justice without objective assessment, resulting in overcrowding in correctional institutions and high rates of recidivism. In contrast, a restorative justice model based on rehabilitation, social recovery, and community integration has proven more effective in addressing the root causes of drug addiction. Therefore, systemic reform is needed to mainstream restorative justice as the primary approach in handling drug cases, by strengthening inter-agency synergy, expanding the capacity of rehabilitation institutions, and encouraging a paradigm shift in law enforcement. These findings provide an important foundation for developing a more humane, efficient, and socially just criminal policy.