Reforming the Treatment of Drug Users through the Integration of Rehabilitation and Restorative Justice

Abstract

The repressive approach toward drug users in Indonesia continues to dominate law enforcement practices, often resulting in incarceration rather than rehabilitation. This punitive orientation disregards the fact that many drug users are victims of addiction who require medical and psychological recovery rather than imprisonment. The gap between the predominantly punitive legal framework and the rehabilitative needs of users contributes to prison overcrowding and the low success rate of social reintegration. This study aims to analyze the potential integration of restorative justice and rehabilitation as a reformative strategy in addressing drug related offenses. Restorative justice emphasizes the restoration of harm and social reintegration, aligning closely with the the rapeutic objectives of rehabilitation programs. Employing a normative juridical method, this research examines national legislation and policy instruments to assess the legal feasibility of such integration. The findings reveal that while both restorative justice and rehabilitation are formally recognized within Indonesia’s legal system, their implementation remains fragmented due to regulatory inconsistencies, weak institutional coordination, and pervasive stigma against drug users. The study concludes that integrating these two approaches presents a more humane and effective alternative to punitive sanctions. Comprehensive policy reform and institutional capacity building are urgently needed to support this paradigm shift.