Conceptualization of Diversion and Community Service Sentences in Technology-Based Community-Based Justice to Address Prison Overcrowding

Community Based-Justice Diversion Prison Overcrowding Community Service Sentence Technology

Authors

2 May 2026

The punishment system that is still oriented towards imprisonment has led to overcrowded correctional institutions, causing various social, economic, and human rights problems. This research examines the concept of diversion and social work punishment in a technology-based Community-Based Justice approach as an alternative solution to overcome these problems. The expansion of diversion allows the transfer of minor criminal cases outside the formal justice system other than in cases of juvenile offenses. At the same time, social work punishment provides a more productive and rehabilitative form than imprisonment. This research uses the normative juridical method by using a conceptual approach and a comparative approach. The results show that the application of diversion and social work punishment can reduce the density of correctional institutions, budget efficiency, and the emergence of recidivists. Therefore, the expansion of the concept of diversion and social work punishment can also be applied to minor crimes by considering the aspects of the harm caused.  This concept is implemented based on Community-Based Justice by integrating the use of technology to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the alternative punishment system, such as electronic monitoring, digitalization of the legal system, and artificial intelligence-based platforms for monitoring and evaluating diversion and social work programs.