COMMUNITY POLICY AND OVERCAPACITY: ALTERNATIVE MODELS FOR DENSITY REDUCTION COMMUNITY INSTITUTIONS
Keywords:
Correctional policy, overcrowding, Alternative sentencing, Criminal law reformAbstract
The issue of prison overcrowding in Indonesia has become a fundamental problem within the framework of modern criminal law policy. The excessive number of inmates not only hampers the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs but also undermines the protection of human rights and the stability of the national correctional system. This study aims to analyze the current correctional policy and propose alternative models to reduce overcrowding through both penal and non-penal approaches. The research employs a normative juridical method by examining legislation, legal doctrines, and relevant prior studies. The findings indicate that the dominance of imprisonment as the primary sanction constitutes a structural cause of overcapacity. Alternative sanctions such as community service, conditional sentencing, community-based assimilation, and restorative justice implementation can effectively reduce inmate density without neglecting the objectives of punishment. Furthermore, correctional policy reform should focus on shifting the paradigm from a punitive system toward a rehabilitative and socially reintegrative one. The adoption of a balanced policy model between security and humanity is a strategic step toward achieving an effective and just correctional system in Indonesia.
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