Legal Uncertainty Due to Differences in Children's Age Limits in Legislation and Harmonization Efforts to Prevent Child Discrimination
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62383/majelis.v2i3.1037Keywords:
Age Limits, Child Discrimination, Harmonization, Legal Uncertainty, LegislationAbstract
The differences in the age limits of children as stipulated in several Indonesian laws and regulations—such as the Juvenile Criminal Justice System Law (UU Sistem Peradilan Pidana Anak/SPPA), the Child Protection Law (UU Perlindungan Anak), and the Human Rights Law (UU HAM)—have created significant legal uncertainty. These inconsistencies pose serious implications for the protection of children's rights, particularly for those who are entangled in legal conflicts. One of the most critical impacts is the potential for injustice in the application of restorative justice and diversion programs, which should be guided by the principle of the best interests of the child. Discrepancies in age definitions may also result in unequal treatment in legal proceedings and hinder access to appropriate legal remedies and rehabilitation services. For instance, a child considered underage by one law may be treated as an adult under another, leading to inconsistent judicial decisions, discrimination, and psychological harm. Furthermore, this lack of regulatory harmony undermines the credibility and consistency of the justice system in handling cases involving children. The principle of legal certainty, which is fundamental in any just legal system, cannot be upheld if such foundational definitions remain fragmented. Therefore, there is an urgent need for harmonization and alignment of all regulations related to the legal age definition of a child within the Indonesian national legal framework. Establishing a uniform age standard is essential to ensure fair treatment, protect children's rights comprehensively, prevent discriminatory practices, and improve the effectiveness of restorative justice, rehabilitation, and child protection mechanisms in Indonesia.
Downloads
References
Anggelina, D. (2024). Penerapan konsep keadilan restorative justice pada korban tindak pidana ringan. Innovative: Journal of Social Science Research, 9, 9191–9201.
Ariani, N. V. (2014). Implementasi Undang-Undang Nomor 11 Tahun 2012 tentang sistem peradilan pidana anak dalam upaya melindungi kepentingan anak. Jurnal Media Hukum.
Arliman, L. (2017). Reformasi penegakan hukum kekerasan seksual terhadap anak sebagai bentuk perlindungan anak berkelanjutan. Kanun: Jurnal Ilmu Hukum, 19(2), 305–326.
Arsawati, N. N. (2020). Legal reform dalam penjatuhan sanksi terhadap anak pelaku kejahatan. Jurnal Analisis Hukum, 3(2), 114–134.
Balla, H. (2022). Diversi: Anak yang berhadapan dengan hukum. Jurnal Litigasi Amsir, 1(2), 202–206.
Fadila, Y. A. (2022). Tinjauan yuridis pelindungan pekerja anak di Indonesia dalam perspektif Konvensi Hak Anak. Yustitiabelen, 2(3), 143–166.
Fitriani, R. (2016). Peranan penyelenggara perlindungan anak dalam melindungi dan memenuhi hak-hak anak. Jurnal Hukum Samudra Keadilan, 11(2), 250–358.
Haling, S. (2018). Perlindungan hak asasi anak jalanan dalam bidang pendidikan menurut hukum nasional dan konvensi internasional. Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan, 48(3), 361–378.
Harefa, A., & Ndruru, A. (2022). Perspektif psikologi kriminil terhadap penyebab terjadinya juvenile delinquency ditinjau dari aspek kriminologi. Jurnal Panah Keadilan, 1(1), 55–69.
Ilma, M. (2020). Regulasi dispensasi dalam penguatan aturan batas usia kawin bagi anak pasca lahirnya UU No. 16 Tahun 2019. AL-MANHAJ: Jurnal Hukum dan Pranata Sosial Islam, 2(1), 133–166.
Lewoleba, K. K. (2020). Studi faktor-faktor terjadinya tindak kekerasan seksual pada anak-anak. Jurnal Esensi Hukum, 4(1), 27–48.
Lubis, M. A. (2020). Restorative justice sebagai model perlindungan terhadap anak yang berhadapan dengan hukum. PKM Maju UDA, 2(1), 8–24.
Marhayani, C. (2024). Analisa yuridis tentang definisi anak dalam hukum positif di Indonesia. Jurnal Legalitas (JLE).
Marzuki, I. (2022). Pemaksaan perkawinan dalam konteks kajian hak asasi manusia dan Undang-Undang Tindak Pidana Kekerasan Seksual. REUSAM: Jurnal Ilmu Hukum, 10(2), 215–226.
Maulana, W., & Widjajanti, E. (2024). Analisis kebijakan diversi terhadap perlindungan hak anak dalam sistem peradilan pidana. Hukum Dinamika Ekselensia.
Oktalisa, Y. (2016). Analisis yuridis konsep pertanggungjawaban pidana terhadap pembunuhan berencana yang dilakukan anak di bawah umur. Justicia Sains: Jurnal Ilmu Hukum, 2(1), 61–70.
Ruzaipah, Manan, A., & A’yun, Q. (2021). Penetapan usia kedewasaan dalam sistem hukum di Indonesia. Mitsaqan Ghalizan, 1(1), 1–20.
Setiawan, & Fatmawati, N. (2024). Politik hukum batas usia anak dalam peraturan perundang-undangan di Indonesia. AKADEMIK: Jurnal Mahasiswa Humanis, 6(1), 806–821.
Setiawan, H. H. (2020). Anak sebagai pelaku terorisme dalam perspektif ekologi sosial. Sosio Informa, 6(2), 252–263.
Sukadi, I. (2024). Perlindungan hukum terhadap perempuan di bawah umur akibat perkawinan dini perspektif maqashid syariah. EGALITA: Jurnal Kesetaraan dan Keadilan Gender, 6(1), 97–114.
Supeno, H. (2013). Kriminalisasi anak. Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Majelis: Jurnal Hukum Indonesia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
