Implementation Of The Child Development Program At The Jakarta Class 1 Lpka Based On The Principle Of The Best Interests Of The Child: A Study Of The Gap Between Policy And Practice

Meitisa Vanya Simanjuntak; Rihan Lestari

doi:10.63922/ijevss.v5i02.3503

Meitisa Vanya Simanjuntak Politeknik Imigrasi dan Pemasyarakatan Indonesia
Rihan Lestari Politeknik Pengayoman Indonesia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.63922/ijevss.v5i02.3503

Keywords: Best Interest of the Child, Child Development Program, Juvenile Correctional Institution, Policy Implementation Gap, Social Reintegration

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the implementation of child development programs at LPKA Class I Jakarta through the lens of the best interest of the child principle and to identify the gap between normative policy and empirical practice. A qualitative approach with a descriptive-analytical case study design was employed. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with key informants including the institution's head, development staff, clinical psychologists, social workers, and children under correctional supervision, supplemented by participatory observation and systematic document review. Data were analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldana comprising data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings revealed that while the institutional framework formally adopts the best interest of the child principle, daily program delivery remains generalized and does not fully accommodate individual children's needs. The policy-practice gap was determined by four structural factors: overcrowding, professional human resource shortages, inadequate facilities and infrastructure, and suboptimal inter-agency coordination. Children exposed to rights-based development approaches demonstrated superior outcomes in psychological wellbeing, behavioral change, and social reintegration readiness compared to those in conventional programs. These findings indicate that the best interest of the child principle has not been optimally operationalized in practice, necessitating comprehensive institutional reform and sustained investment in professional capacity and multi-sector coordination.

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