Mono-Dualistic Theory and the Principle of Balance: A Conceptual Framework for Criminal Law Reform in Indonesia

Shulhan Iqbal Nasutioon

doi:10.25217/jm.v10i2.6649

Authors

Shulhan Iqbal Nasutioon Universitas Medan Area, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25217/jm.v10i2.6649

Keywords:

Criminal Law Reform, Mono-Dualistic Theory, Principle of Balance

Abstract

Criminal law reform in Indonesia is confronted with a fundamental challenge in reconciling legal certainty with substantive justice, particularly in light of the inadequacy of the colonial-era Criminal Code to address the complexities of contemporary society. The persistence of rigid formalism, coupled with emerging forms of crime and evolving social values, underscores the need for a more balanced and contextual criminal law framework. This study aims to analyze the relevance of mono-dualistic theory and the principle of balance as a conceptual foundation for Indonesian criminal law reform, as well as to examine their implementation within the New Criminal Code enacted through Law No. 1 of 2023. Employing a juridical-normative research method, this study utilizes conceptual, statutory, and comparative approaches to examine legal norms, doctrines, and criminal law practices. The findings demonstrate that mono-dualistic theory effectively functions as a mediating framework between legal certainty and substantive justice by integrating formal legal norms with socio-philosophical values. This integration is reflected in progressive criminal justice mechanisms, including diversion, conditional sentencing, and restorative justice, which emphasize proportionality, human dignity, and social harmony. The study contributes to the development of criminal law scholarship by affirming that the principle of balance constitutes a central normative guideline for enhancing the legitimacy of punishment and directing Indonesian criminal law reform toward a more humanistic, adaptive, and value-oriented legal system.

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