Abstract

Vigilantism remains a problem in Indonesia, where individuals or groups take the law into their own hands in dealing with alleged offenders. Such a practice is troubling in terms of the public’s trust in law enforcement, the legitimacy of the criminal justice system, and the protection of individual rights. The study is interested in the criminological factors that play a part in vigilantism and the legal and policy measures that can be used to deal with it. The paper uses qualitative normative legal method, socio-legal and criminological approaches. The analysis utilizes relevant legislation and conceptualizations of legal cynicism, anomie, cultural criminology and criminal justice legitimacy. This exchange points to the possibility that extralegal punishment in some situations might be understood in terms of views of law enforcement as ineffective, distrust of legal institutions, and collective reactions to alleged wrongdoing. But these are not all the explanations, and public suspicion is no substitute for the legal process that must be followed to determine guilt. The study also addresses the issue of individual criminal responsibility for acts of collective violence. In the area of vigilantism, there is need to improve rule of law enforcement, procedural fairness, institutional transparency, public legal awareness and community engagement. This integrated approach provides a basis for reducing the acceptance of extra-legal punishment and for strengthening reliance on formal legal procedures.