HOME VISIT IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN THE INDONESIAN JUVENILE JUSTICE LAW AND INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS

Abstract

Home visits are an important instrument in the juvenile justice system, ensuring that children’s rehabilitation aligns with the principle of the best interests of the child. Their implementation reflects a rehabilitative and restorative approach that emphasizes family and community involvement. This study examines the scope of home visits as regulated under Indonesia’s Juvenile Criminal Justice System Law and relevant international instruments. Using secondary data and legislative, comparative, and conceptual approaches, the study finds that Indonesia’s law defines home visits as part of the supervision of diversion and social reintegration programs. Relevant international instruments include the Beijing Rules (1985), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), the Riyadh Guidelines (1990), and the Havana Rules (1990). Among these, only the Beijing Rules explicitly regulate home visits, covering monitoring of children’s behavior, participation in community programs, and residence in halfway houses. Thus, the scope of home visits in both Indonesian law and the Beijing Rules extends beyond home supervision to include children’s social interactions. The study recommends that Indonesia’s Juvenile Justice Law explicitly define the scope of home visits in line with the Beijing Rules as part of community-based rehabilitation and enhanced supervision by Community Guidance Officers.