JP/8/speakup

JP/8/speakup

Despite the recent arrest of a suspect in the child kidnapping
cases, law experts and child activists are critical of the
police's investigation. The experts suggest that police need to
take tougher action and that the suspects should be punished
according to the Criminal Code and Law No. 23/2002 on Children's
Protection. The Jakarta Post talked with them.

Purnianti, 56, is a criminologist of the University of
Indonesia. She lives in Depok with her husband and son:

I think the police are not responding fast enough. If they act
like this, of course the kidnappers will continue to try to get
money.

Police should take tougher measures. They could ask private
security officers to help them investigate, even if the costs are
high.

I suggest the implementation of the Law on Children's
Protection (UUPA). When the victims are children, the Criminal
Code does not provide severe enough penalties.

Under the UUPA, a suspect faces a maximum punishment of 15
years in jail and a maximum fine of around Rp 300 million
(US$35,294).

Unfortunately, the public is not generally aware of UUPA and
maybe the kidnappers operate without realizing the kind of
punishments that they could face.

Actually, I think law enforcers are also ignorant of the UUPA.
If the perpetrators are caught, the UUPA should be imposed
strictly.

Political parties and the mass media should campaign to
support the implementation of the Law.

Topo Susanto, 33, is a law expert of the University of
Indonesia. He lives in Depok with his wife and three children:

Many say that law enforcement in the country is poor and never
properly implemented.

A kidnapper could face a maximum sentence of 12 years in jail
with an additional sentence of one third (or four years). That's
16 years in jail but a judge rarely gives the maximum sentence.

It's not just the police but the court system. So what is it
there for? All legal institutions should be responsible for
dealing with criminals.

Worse still, the police do not seem to care about the cases.
Is this due to bribery in the system?

We should look at other countries with efficient legal
systems.

Bambang Budi S., 36, is an activist from the Indonesian Child
Welfare Foundation in Central Jakarta. He lives in Cilandak,
South Jakarta, with his wife:

Police still discriminate in criminal cases, the level of
their investigation depends on the response of the public. The
bigger the response, the more seriously the police work on the
case.

The Criminal Code should not be used to sentence the
kidnapping suspects as it doesn't take into account that the
victims are children. The punishment is too lenient.

The UUPA, if it is properly imposed, supports the rights of
the children.

But law enforcers remain ignorant about the law and its
implementation. I guess the reason is that there is no campaign
to educate the public.

If all law enforcers were serious in their implementation of
the law then people would reconsider committing such crimes.

In addition, I object to the media broadcasting programs about
criminals on television. This surely has a bad impact and could
inspire criminals to use new methods.

-- Leo Wahyudi S.