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Abstract

The Indonesian National Police (Polri) are facing a sustained crisis of legitimacy amid increasing public distrust, digital activism, and intensified external oversight. While reform has been repeatedly promised since the post-authoritarian transition, institutional change remains fragmented and largely symbolic. This article examines Polri’s reform trajectory through a criminological lens, drawing on theories of social solidarity (Durkheim), procedural justice (Tyler), and the sociology of professions (Abbott) to analyze the interaction between external pressures and internal organizational dysfunctions. Using theory-driven qualitative analysis of corruption cases, recruitment controversies, and public trust surveys, the study argues that Polri’s legitimacy crisis is rooted not only in individual misconduct but in structural patterns of patronage, over-centralization, and incomplete professionalization. This study contributes to Indonesian criminology by explaining police reform as an institutional legitimacy problem rather than individual misconduct. It concludes that sustainable reform requires merit-based recruitment, strengthened external oversight, decentralization of authority, and the integration of cognitive–emotional competencies into police professionalization.

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Bahasa Abstract

Kepolisian Negara Republik Indonesia (Polri) sedang menghadapi krisis legitimasi yang berkepanjangan di tengah meningkatnya ketidakpercayaan publik, aktivisme digital, dan pengawasan eksternal yang semakin intensif. Meskipun reformasi telah berulang kali dijanjikan sejak masa transisi pasca-otoritarian, perubahan kelembagaan yang terjadi masih bersifat terfragmentasi dan sebagian besar simbolis.

Artikel ini menelaah trajektori reformasi Polri melalui perspektif kriminologi, dengan menggunakan teori solidaritas sosial (Durkheim), keadilan prosedural (Tyler), dan sosiologi profesi (Abbott) untuk menganalisis interaksi antara tekanan eksternal dan disfungsi organisasi internal. Dengan menggunakan analisis kualitatif berbasis teori terhadap kasus-kasus korupsi, kontroversi rekrutmen, dan survei kepercayaan publik, penelitian ini berargumen bahwa krisis legitimasi Polri tidak hanya berakar pada perilaku menyimpang individu, tetapi juga pada pola struktural patronase, sentralisasi kekuasaan yang berlebihan, serta proses profesionalisasi yang belum tuntas.

Penelitian ini memberikan kontribusi bagi kajian kriminologi di Indonesia dengan menjelaskan reformasi kepolisian sebagai persoalan legitimasi institusional, bukan sekadar masalah pelanggaran individu. Studi ini menyimpulkan bahwa reformasi yang berkelanjutan memerlukan rekrutmen berbasis merit, penguatan pengawasan eksternal, desentralisasi kewenangan, serta integrasi kompetensi kognitif–emosional dalam proses profesionalisasi kepolisian.

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