Recess Visit at Cipinang Penitentiary: Bang Azran Pushes for Stronger Rehabilitation Programs and Real Solutions to Address Penitentiary Overcrowding

21 July 2026 oleh admin

Jakarta, dpd.go.id – DPD RI/MPR RI Member representing the Special Capital Region of Jakarta who is also a Member of Committee I of the DPD RI and General Chairman of the DPP FORKABI Achmad Azran, affectionately known as Bang Azran, conducted a recess activity and supervisory working visit to the Class I Cipinang Penitentiary in East Jakarta on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. The visit was carried out to fulfill his supervisory function regarding the implementation of Law Number 22 of 2022 on Corrections.

The event was attended by the Head of Class I Cipinang Penitentiary, Dr. Syarpani, A.Md.IP., S.H., M.H.; heads of Technical Implementation Units under the Directorate General of Corrections for the Jakarta Special Region; structural officials from the Regional Office of the Directorate General of Corrections DK Jakarta and Class I Cipinang Penitentiary; as well as the Head of the DPD RI Secretariat for Jakarta Province, Ria Melinda, along with her staff.

In his presentation, the Head of Class I Cipinang Penitentiary stated that Cipinang Penitentiary is currently one of the largest correctional institutions in Indonesia, carrying out the mandate of Law Number 22 of 2022 in a professional, humane, and accountable manner. The prison oversees personality development, independence training, health services, inmate care, security, and social reintegration.

Based on data as of July 20, 2026, Class I Cipinang Penitentiary has an ideal capacity of 880 people, but currently houses 2,145 inmates representing an overcrowding rate of approximately 144 percent. Meanwhile, there are only 261 officers on staff, making the challenges of service, rehabilitation, and security increasingly complex.

Beyond the issue of overcrowding, the majority of inmates are incarcerated for narcotics offenses. To address this, Cipinang Penitentiary continues to strengthen rehabilitation programs, personality development, and self-reliance training through vocational programs such as baking, barista training, laundry services, and food security. The facility has also introduced several service innovations including LATUCIP-GO, WARTELSUSPAS (special inmate telephone service), and the Restorative Block to support the policy of Zero Cell Phones, Zero Illegal Levies, Zero Narcotics, and Zero Fraud.

Bang Azran commended the various transformation steps taken by the leadership and staff of Cipinang Penitentiary in operating a correctional system that is increasingly oriented toward rehabilitation and social reintegration.

"Correctional care today is no longer just about serving a sentence. The state must ensure that every inmate receives proper rehabilitation so that when they return to society, they possess skills, character, and the opportunity for a better life. Overcrowding must also be a shared responsibility through strengthened rehabilitation, non-custodial sentencing alternatives, additional human resources, and budget allocations aligned with actual inmate numbers," Bang Azran asserted.

According to the Senator representing Jakarta, the various innovations introduced by Cipinang Penitentiary deserve recognition as a sign of commitment to delivering modern, transparent, and human-centered correctional services. All aspirations, data, and input gathered during this recess visit will serve as material for Committee I of the DPD RI in formulating recommendations to the government to strengthen the implementation of Law Number 22 of 2022 on Corrections.

Meanwhile, the Head of Class I Cipinang Penitentiary, Dr. Syarpani, emphasized that his entire team remains committed to carrying out the mandate of Law Number 22 of 2022 through guidance focused on inmate recovery and empowerment.

"Rehabilitation is not merely executing a sentence; it is preparing human beings to rebuild their lives. We will continue to strengthen personality guidance, independence training, rehabilitation, and services for inmates, even amid challenges of overcrowding, limited staff, and budgetary needs that remain a collective responsibility," Dr. Syarpani stated.

This recess visit is expected to produce strategic recommendations for the government to bolster the national correctional system—ranging from enhancing narcotics rehabilitation and non-custodial sentencing alternatives to recruiting more personnel, establishing more proportional budgeting based on actual inmate counts, and reinforcing social reintegration so that inmates can return as productive and valuable members of society.(*)