Reconstructing Criminal Law Policy for Combating Narcotics Offenses through a Digital Intelligence–Based Predictive Policing Approach

Abstract

Narcotics trafficking within the jurisdiction of the North Sumatra Regional Police continues to follow a concerning trend, despite sustained conventional law enforcement efforts. This study examines the limitations of conventional enforcement in addressing narcotics offenses and proposes a reconstruction of criminal law policy through a digital intelligence–based predictive policing approach. It employs normative legal research using statutory, conceptual, and case approaches. Primary legal materials comprise relevant legislation, government regulations, and court decisions, while secondary materials include scholarly articles, academic books, and official law enforcement reports. The findings indicate that conventional enforcement has structural limitations: it is largely reactive, struggles to anticipate the increasingly digital operations of narcotics networks, and is constrained by limited intelligence capacity. The proposed policy reconstruction involves integrating digital intelligence into systems for predicting narcotics crime, reforming the regulatory framework under Law No. 35 of 2009 on Narcotics, and establishing a dedicated predictive policing unit within the North Sumatra Regional Police. The study concludes that a shift from reactive to predictive law enforcement requires a clear legal basis and adequate technological capacity.