Legal Education, Justice, and Certainty: An Analysis of Suspect Determination by the Indonesian Police

Abstract

This study examined the determination of suspect status by the Indonesian  justice (gerechtigkeit), human rights, and legal education. The research problem centers on the ambiguity of Article 1 point 14 of Law Number 8 of 1981 on the Criminal Procedure Law (KUHAP), which fails to define “preliminary evidence” and does not specify a time limit for maintaining suspect statusresulting in potential procedural injustice and human rights violations. Employing a normative juridical method, the study analyzes statutory, conceptual, and philosophical sources, complemented by comparative insights from European and American law enforcement education systems. Findings reveal that the absence of clear procedural boundaries in KUHAP undermines both legal certainty and justice, as individuals may remain suspects indefinitely without trial. The study underscores that effective and fair law enforcement cannot be achieved solely through statutory reform but must be supported by comprehensive legal education that strengthens ethical reasoning, human rights awareness, and professional accountability among police officers. Comparative evidence shows that human rights based and justice-oriented education enhances procedural discipline, decision-making integrity, and institutional accountability. The study concludes that achieving true legal certainty and justice requires integrating legal education reform with legislative improvement to ensure that the enforcement of criminal law upholds human dignity and due process.