Victimization in Indonesia: An Expensive Lesson

Source: (2003) In, Tatsuya Ota, ed., Victims and Criminal Justice: Asian Perspective. Tokoyo, Hogaku-Kenkyu-Kai, Keio University. Pp. 83-93.

There is no specific law in Indonesia that mandates state compensation or offender restitution for crime victims; however, the Code of 1981 enables crime victims to ask prosecutors to join a civil suit for damages with criminal charges against offenders. A claim for compensation from the state has also been made possible under this new code; this claim, however, is only available for cases in which the defendant is found not guilty by the court and the court later finds negligent or unlawful conduct by the law enforcement officer. Although national law largely ignores the plight of crime victims, there are many nongovernmental organizations in Indonesia that address crime victims’ needs. These organizations have laid the groundwork of selective assistance to victims, but a comprehensive victim assistance scheme is missing. Various recent studies of victimization in Indonesia have further exposed the glaring need for victim services. Research conducted to date has revealed widespread and increasing structural and collective victimization over the last 10 years. Much of this has been due to the 32-year authoritarian and abusive rule of Suharto. These studies of victimization in Indonesia offer promise that the new government will endorse legislation that focuses on the problems of victims. Abstract courtesy of National Criminal Justice Reference Service, www.ncjrs.org.