SOCIAL STIGMA TOWARD INDIVIDUALS SENTENCED TO CANING: A CASE STUDY OF THE SOCIOLOGICAL IMPACT OF THE QANUN ON CANING IN KAMPUNG JAWA BARU, LHOKSEUMAWE

Abstract

This study examines the social stigma experienced by individuals sentenced to public caning and the broader social consequences of implementing the Qanun Jinayah in Kampung Jawa Baru, Lhokseumawe City. The study is grounded in the recognition that caning produces not only physical and legal consequences but also enduring social repercussions for individuals following the execution of the sentence. It aims to identify the forms of social stigma experienced by former offenders, explain how such stigma is constructed and sustained through everyday social interactions, and analyze its implications for their social lives. This study employs a qualitative approach using a phenomenological method to explore the subjective experiences of the participants. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, field observations, and documentation involving former caning offenders, family members, community leaders, and local residents. The findings indicate that social stigma manifests in various forms, including labeling as morally deviant, social exclusion, differential treatment in interpersonal interactions, loss of trust, and secondary stigma experienced by family members. Such stigma is socially constructed through the legitimization of religious values that have become embedded within the community’s social system and are continuously reinforced through everyday interactions. Its consequences are not merely temporary but have long-term effects on individuals’ self-confidence, social relationships, and participation in community life. The study concludes that the implementation of the Qanun Jinayah functions not only as a mechanism for enforcing religious norms but also as a process that shapes social dynamics and moral boundaries within the community. Therefore, greater attention should be given to post-sentence social reintegration mechanisms that can facilitate the restoration of social relationships and community participation among former offenders.