Discrepancy between policy and practice: a case study on hegemony within an Indonesian juvenile correctional center (LPKA)

Indonesia shifted towards a more holistic approach to incarceration emphasizing diversion and rehabilitation with the enactment of Law No. 11 of 2012 on the Juvenile Justice System. Despite the policy shift, this case study uncovers examples of systemic hegemonic practices that remain within a juvenile correctional center as it fails to provide access to justice for incarcerated youth in Indonesia. Data were collected over four months within one of Indonesia’s juvenile correctional centers (Lembaga Pembinaan Khusus Anak, LPKA). Participant observation and ethnographic interviews were conducted with correctional officers (N = 10) and incarcerated male youths (N = 19, aged 14–18), while eight of these nineteen youth participants provided further data for in-depth life stories. The case study findings show Indonesia exerts hegemonic control on three distinct levels, national, institutional, and individual. Hegemony is maintained through four major domains: control of space, a regime of punishment, shaping discourse, and rule-breaking. Hegemony counteracts the goals of the juvenile justice system, rendering the system less effective. This research contributes to the development of new knowledge about systemic hegemonic practices in places which incarcerate youth. The authors suggest Indonesia align its practices with the stated goals of the juvenile justice system and provide specific training for correctional officers based on the newly instituted laws.