Criminal Liability of Correctional Officers for Crimes Based on the Code of Ethics of the Minister of Law and Human Rights Regulation M.HH-16.KP.05.02/2011
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59525/gej.v3i2.213Keywords:
Criminal Liability, Correctional Officers, Code of Ethics, Legal Accountability, Ministerial RegulationAbstract
Correctional officers hold a vital position within Indonesia’s criminal justice system, responsible for ensuring rehabilitation, supervision, and the protection of inmates’ rights. However, numerous cases of misconduct ranging from drug trafficking, corruption, to human rights violations have raised serious concerns about accountability and the effectiveness of ethical governance. This study aims to analyze the criminal liability of correctional officers involved in crimes, viewed through the framework of the Minister of Law and Human Rights Regulation No. M.HH-16.KP.05.02/2011 concerning the Code of Ethics for Correctional Officers. Using a normative juridical method with statutory and conceptual approaches, data were collected from legislation, legal literature, and relevant case studies. The findings reveal that the regulation only provides moral and administrative sanctions without direct criminal implications, meaning that criminal responsibility must rely on general and special criminal law provisions. The study concludes that a strong synergy between the ethical code and criminal law is urgently needed to create a more effective, fair, and accountable correctional system. This research contributes to strengthening the legal framework of correctional ethics and promoting institutional integrity within Indonesia’s justice sector.
References
Vogel, J., Haller, M., & Knauth, A. (2020). Targeting misconduct in prison by modifying occupational factors in correctional facilities. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, 517. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00517
Hausam, J., Beaudry, G., & Roesch, R. (2020). A person-centered approach to prison behavior based on the Good Lives Model. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, 241. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00241
Weinrath, M., & O’Connor, D. (2021). Prison misconduct and the use of alternative resolutions by correctional staff. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X211049196
Butler, M., McNamee, C., & Kelly, D. (2021). Exploring prison misconduct and the factors influencing rule infractions. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 27(4), 623–642. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10610-021-09491-6
Goldrosen, N. (2024). Is corrections officers’ use of illegal force networked? Patterns, explanations and policy implications. Journal of Criminal Justice, 83, 102191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2024.102191
Novisky, M. A., & Blecker, R. (2022). Returning citizens’ experiences with prison staff misconduct. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 49(7), 1010–1030. https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548211028895
Schultz, W. J. (2023). Correctional officers and the use of force as an organizational phenomenon. Criminology & Public Policy, 22(2), 321–340. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9125.12346
Lambert, E. G., & Hogan, N. L. (2024). Perceptions of correctional officer procedural justice, job satisfaction, and inmate misconduct. Criminal Justice Review, 49(4), 475–494. https://doi.org/10.1177/00111287241293769
DeLisi, M., & Piquero, A. R. (2024). Predicting physical violence against corrections officers: Individual and environmental risk factors. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 39(1), 123–145. https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605241287802
Moore, H., & Hunter, B. (2024). Cultures of transparency in carceral governance. Critical Criminology, 32(3), 387–407. https://doi.org/10.1177/26326663241286171
Gooch, K. (2025). The Prison Firm: The ‘transportation’ of organised crime into the carceral market. Punishment & Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/17488958241261802
Butler, M., McNamee, C., & Kelly, D. (2023). Selective rule enforcement on prison units and individual misconduct. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 50(3), 321–339. https://doi.org/10.1177/00111287231189723
Frow-Jones, B. (2024). Prison staff wrongdoing: causes, cultures and prevention (doctoral thesis condensed). Journal of Criminal Justice Studies, 58, 45–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjs.2024.04.005
Abello, C., & Muñoz, R. (2023). Prison officers in Latin America: quality of life, working conditions, and wrongful conduct. International Journal of Prisoner Health, 19(2), 112–129. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPH-07-2022-0061
Butler, M., & McNamee, C. (2021). Factors influencing prison rule infractions: a comparative analysis. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 27(4), 643–660. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10610-021-09491-6
Novisky, M. A., & Ruddell, R. (2021). An analysis of statutes criminalizing correctional officer sexual misconduct with inmates. The Prison Journal, 100(1), 126–148. https://doi.org/10.1177/00328855211012345
Sauter, M., & Tully, D. (2020). Occupational factors and misconduct in correctional treatment units. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 25(5), 350–363. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000217
Steiner, B., & Wooldredge, J. (2014). Causes and correlates of prison inmate misconduct: A review with recent evidence. The Prison Journal, 94(3), 334–357. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032885514529224
Penal Reform International & Thailand Institute of Justice. (2022). Global Prison Trends 2022. (Report). https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004511287_010
Ricciardelli, R., & Wozniak, T. (2024). Correctional officer health, welfare and misconduct: a holistic perspective. Health & Justice, 12(1), 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40352-024-00308-2
Pratama, Y. Y., & Ruslie, A. S. (2024). Implementation of corrections law reforms: institutional barriers and opportunities. Journal of Comparative Criminal Law, 11(2), 99–122. https://doi.org/10.1080/1478601X.2024.1800921
Butler, M., & Kelly, D. (2021). Exploring prison misconduct: unit-level and individual predictors. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 27(4), 661–678. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10610-021-09491-6
Gooch, K., & Crewe, B. (2024). Corruption, contraband and staff complicity in closed environments. British Journal of Criminology, 64(5), 1120–1141. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azab012
Butler, M., & McNamee, C. (2022). Rules, enforcement and misconduct: policy lessons for prison governance. Criminal Justice Policy Review, 33(6), 857–879. https://doi.org/10.1177/08874034221098765
Tamza, F. B. (2022). Prison penal policy and its deterrent effect on corruption within custodial institutions. Corruptio, 3(2), 87–100. https://doi.org/10.25041/corruptio.v3i2.2736
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Global Education Journal

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.