Indonesia grants sentence reductions to 1,050 children for National Children's Day

Indonesia celebrated National Children's Day by granting sentence reductions to 1,050 children in correctional facilities across the country. The Ministry of Immigration and Corrections provided these reductions, known as Pengurangan Masa Pidana (PMP), as a gesture of recognition for the children's progress and commitment to rehabilitation.

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This is a form of state responsibility in returning children to a better life through an approach that prioritizes the best interests of the child, respect for human dignity, and restorative justice.

Of the total recipients, 990 children received partial sentence reductions (PMP HAN I), with the duration varying from one to four months. An additional 60 children were released from their sentences entirely after receiving a more significant reduction (PMP HAN II). The largest number of children benefiting from this program were from North Sumatra (102), West Java (96), and East Java (80).

Minister Agus Andrianto stated that the rehabilitation programs in special child correctional institutions (LPKA) are not punitive but are designed to foster growth, learning, and future preparation. He stressed that these programs represent the state's responsibility to guide children toward better lives through restorative justice and by upholding their dignity. The minister urged the children to use this opportunity to rebuild their lives, focus on learning, worship, and setting high aspirations.

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All rehabilitation programs implemented are directed at building character, improving academic and vocational skills, strengthening religious values, fostering discipline, building responsibility, and developing life skills that will be a provision when they return to their families and communities.

The Director General of Corrections, Mashudi, highlighted that the sentence reductions are not just a fulfillment of legal rights but also a tangible commitment by the state to reward behavioral changes demonstrated during rehabilitation. This initiative is also projected to save the state Rp1,075,140,000 in food costs for the children.

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Make this opportunity the beginning to rearrange your lives. Keep learning, worshiping, respecting parents, appreciating teachers and correctional officers, and building high aspirations. Never feel that the past determines your future.