Rieke Urges Swift Implementation of Social Work Penalties in New Criminal Code

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Member of Commission XIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Rieke Diah Pitaloka, has urged the swift implementation of social work penalties as part of the overhaul of Indonesia’s correctional system. This policy is seen as crucial for prioritising rehabilitation over mere punishment. Rieke made these remarks when met at the Class I Cipinang Detention Centre in East Jakarta on Wednesday (19/3/2026). “In the current correctional system, the concept is not about retribution but how the new Criminal Code incorporates social penalties,” said Rieke on Wednesday. In practice, social work penalties could involve activities such as cleaning public facilities or places of worship, serving in orphanages or nursing homes, or carrying out social programmes under the supervision of the Correctional Centre. Currently, the House of Representatives and the government are still discussing the mechanisms for implementing social work penalties to ensure they can be applied optimally in the field. “Both Commission XIII and the government are striving to strengthen the implementation of the 2023 Criminal Code 1 through new methods and mechanisms in the correctional system,” she stated. Rieke emphasised that the future correctional system must provide beneficial rehabilitation for inmates, rather than merely instilling deterrence through imprisonment. With this approach, it is hoped that the inmates will have sufficient skills when they return to society. In addition to pushing for the implementation of social work penalties, Rieke is also advocating for inmates and their families to be registered as recipients of the BPJS Health PBI (Premium Assistance Recipients). This step is considered important for reducing the burden of medical costs, which have so far been borne by correctional institutions amid limited budgets.