Jakarta - The new Criminal Code which will be implemented on January 2, 2026 is one solution to reduce the problem of overcrowding in correctional institutions and detention centers .
As of April 2024, it was recorded that prisons and detention centers in Indonesia accommodated 271,385 prisoners and detainees, while the capacity was only 140,424 people in 532 prisons and detention centers. Thus, there is an excess of around 93.26 percent of the existing capacity.
Meanwhile, as many as 52.97 percent of prison inmates, both convicts and detainees, are those who are caught in drug abuse cases, namely 135,823 people.
In the new Criminal Code, the restorative justice approach as a resolution of criminal cases will be prioritized, especially for drug users. As a result, with the implementation of this approach, drug users will no longer be imprisoned, but rehabilitated.
In addition to the Criminal Code, the Government also plans to grant amnesty to 44 thousand prisoners, which among other things aims to reduce the density of prisons and detention centers. The granting of amnesty is being discussed, one of which is given to drug users, so that these prisoners can be rehabilitated.
Despite reducing prison and detention center density, restorative justice and amnesty approaches for drug users have the potential to create new problems.