Institutional Fragmentation and Legal Aid Inequality: A Socio-Legal Analysis of University-Based Legal Aid in Sumatera, Indonesia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31958/juris.v25i2.13313Keywords:
Legal Aid Institution, University-Based Legal Aid, Criminal Defendants, Access to Justice, Legal PluralismAbstract
State University Legal Aid Institutes (LBH) are considered independent and removed from political influence and conflicts of interest in providing legal assistance to criminal offenders. Consequently, the realization of equal rights and standing before the law, as mandated by the 1945 Constitution, can be achieved. However, the number of State University Legal Aid Institutes in Indonesia that provide legal accompaniment for criminal suspects or defendants remains minimal. Most of these LBHs only provide criminal law consultation services, stopping short of legal accompaniment during trial proceedings. This research attempts to discuss the Government's efforts in providing legal aid for criminal defendants in Sumatra, the development of legal aid for criminal defendants initiated by State Universities in Sumatra, and the extent of the implementation by State Universities in providing legal aid in criminal cases. The method used is empirical juridical research with a sociology of law and statutory approach. The results show that while the government has provided a regulatory framework through Law No. 16 of 2011, budget distribution and accreditation remain concentrated and bureaucratic. There is a sharp dichotomy in the development models of Campus LBHs: Andalas University (Unand) has successfully developed an "entrepreneurial independence" model that integrates professional training (PKPA) to subsidize pro bono legal aid, whereas religious-based state universities (UIN) tend to be trapped in a "bureaucratic dependency" model relying on rigid Budget Implementation Lists (DIPA), causing operational stagnation as seen at UIN Ar-Raniry and UIN Padang Sidempuan. The implementation of criminal legal aid runs effectively in institutions with strong external partnerships (such as Court Legal Aid Posts/Posbakum) but suffers paralysis in institutions that have lost internal infrastructure support. This study concludes that the success of University LBHs is not determined solely by regulatory mandates, but by the political will of university leadership, funding innovation, and substantial clinical curriculum integration. These findings recommend a restructuring of the funding model for State University LBHs and a revitalization of the clinical role to fill the void of legal services in regions with legal pluralism, such as Aceh.References
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