LEGAL PROTECTION OF CHILDREN IN CONTACT WITH THE LAW BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF BEST INTEREST FOR THE CHILD

Legal protection for children who are in conflict with the law in Indonesian legislation is the result of the Ratification of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989, which in one of the principles in the convention is the principle of the best interests of the child. Ratification is carried out by incorporating and making the basis for the formation of laws involving children. The principle of best interest for children is the main reference. This study used the Juridical-Normative Research Method with a Descriptive Analysis Approach, with the aim of analyzing Legislation Related to Children in Conflict with the Law and then to look at the essence and objectives of the Principle of Best Interests for Children. So that this research results in that Law Number 11 of 2012 concerning the Juvenile Criminal Justice System (UU SPPA) is the Main Law being studied, in that Law provides Legal Protection for children who are dealing with the Law with Three Classifications, children as perpetrators prioritizing restorative justice and diversion, children as victims receive special medical treatment, and children as witnesses are facilitated by electronic recording media to reduce trauma. This is given as an effort to protect the law against children who are in conflict with the law according to the status of children in criminal acts, in addition to obtaining rights that are general in nature, children who are positioned as perpetrators, victims and witnesses still get special rights. under legal protection.Keywords: Legal Protection, Children Against the Law, The Best Interests of Children.