Implementing Living Law under Indonesia’s New Criminal Code: Legal-Political Implications for the National Criminal Justice System
Abstract
Introduction: The recognition of living law in Article 2 of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code represents a significant transformation in Indonesia’s criminal law, particularly in reconciling statutory legality with customary norms that remain operative within local communities. However, the incorporation of unwritten norms into criminal adjudication raises concerns regarding legal certainty, equality before the law, and consistency in judicial application.
Purposes of the Research: This study examines the legal-political framework governing the recognition and implementation of living law under Indonesia’s new Criminal Code and analyzes its implications for the relationship between customary and state criminal law.
Methods of the Research: This study employs a socio-legal approach combining normative legal analysis with empirical examination of the application of customary norms. Statutory, conceptual, and case approaches are used to examine the legal basis, limitations, and judicial application of living law.
Results Main Findings of the Research: The study finds that the recognition of living law constitutes a controlled form of legal pluralism rather than an unrestricted delegation of criminal lawmaking to customary communities. Its validity is subject to constitutional values, Pancasila, human rights, and generally recognized principles of law. The principal challenge lies in determining whether a customary norm genuinely constitutes living law and in ensuring consistent standards for its identification, verification, and judicial application. The study therefore argues for an institutional mechanism that integrates customary-law recognition with formal state procedures while preserving substantive justice and legal certainty.
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