Criteria for Unruly Children Who Could Be Sent to Military Barracks

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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A recent trend among several regional leaders involves sending unruly children to military barracks for disciplinary training. This policy has been adopted by figures such as West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi, Cianjur Regent Mohamad Wahyu Ferdian, Purwakarta Regent Saepul Bahri Binzein, and Singkawang Mayor Tjhai Chui Mie.

However, clinical child and adolescent psychologist Mira Damayanti Amir cautions that military education alone cannot resolve the issue of misbehaving children. She argues that juvenile delinquency needs to be understood and addressed in a comprehensive manner. While military training might instill discipline, Mira assesses that it does not guarantee a solution to the root causes of the behavior.

"It is possible that military education can discipline children, but does that automatically solve the problem? It's not guaranteed," Mira told Tempo via a phone call on Wednesday, April 30, 2025.

On the other hand, this raises the question: what specific behaviors qualify a child as misbehaving to the extent that they are sent to military barracks?

Dedi Mulyadi's Criteria for Unruly Children

West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi initiated the policy of sending misbehaving children to military barracks in May. This program takes place at two locations: the Kujang Regiment Military Area (Rindam) III/Siliwangi Field in Bandung and the Artillery Regiment Medan Area (Menarmed) 1 Kostrad in Purwakarta. Dedi collaborated with the Indonesian Army to implement this initiative.

According to him, the children selected for this program are not those with minor, isolated infractions. Instead, they are children who have repeatedly committed serious violations and have not responded to guidance from parents or school authorities. The primary objectives are character development, instilling discipline, and improving their physical and mental well-being.

Dedi outlines the following criteria for a child to be considered "misbehaving" and eligible for military barracks:

1. Children who are frequently involved in brawls, both in school and outside of school.

2. Children who are known to consume alcohol or engage in drunken behavior.

3. Children who often play online games such as Mobile Legends and stay up late, making it difficult to wake up in the morning and being too lazy to go to school.

4. Children who behave defiantly towards their parents, including those who are rude or even threaten their family at home.

5. Children who often create chaos in school and disrupt the learning process.

6. Children who frequently skip school without valid reasons, including leaving home but not attending school.

Cianjur Regent's Criteria for Unruly Children

The Cianjur Regency Government in West Java is implementing a guidance program for 30 junior high school students identified as problematic. This program, conducted in military barracks on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, involves the students and their parents and employs a state defense education approach.

Cianjur Regent Mohamad Wahyu Ferdian has formalized this initiative through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Cianjur Military Command (Kodim) 0608 and Infantry Battalion (Yonif) Raider 300/Brajawijaya, with the participation of the police and the National Narcotics Agency (BNN).

"This step is part of our commitment to enhancing the quality of Cianjur's young generation. Students considered problematic or misbehaving, such as those involved in brawls, alcoholism, and sexual deviations, will receive guidance in the barracks," he stated in Cianjur on Monday, May 5, 2025, as reported by Antara.

Singkawang Mayor's Criteria for Unruly Children

In contrast, the Singkawang City Government in West Kalimantan applies military education to adolescents primarily involved in street racing. According to Singkawang Mayor Tjhai Chui Mie, the national defense training for these individuals aims to instill discipline and reform their mindset.

"These children will reside at Camp Rindam during the national defense training program," he announced in Singkawang on Saturday, May 3, 2025.

The Singkawang City Government has apprehended street racing offenders who have been disrupting the community to participate in national defense training at Regiment Military Area (Rindam) XII/Tanjungpura. He explained that these teenagers will undergo guidance provided by the military, the Police, and the Singkawang City Government.

"This training is for those apprehended by the Traffic Unit of the Singkawang Police a few days ago. Their participation in the national defense training program at Rindam XII Tanjungpura is confirmed," he clarified.