Legal Literacy - The Attorney General's Office of the Republic of Indonesia, as one of the pillars of law enforcement in Indonesia, has a very strategic role in maintaining justice and order in society. The Attorney General's Office not only functions as a public prosecutor in criminal cases, but also has an important role in civil, state administrative affairs, and other duties mandated by law. This article will review the role of the Attorney General's Office, the challenges it faces, as well as prospects and future steps in strengthening this institution.

History and Role of the Attorney General's Office

The term "Kejaksaan" (Attorney General's Office) has existed for a long time in Indonesia, even during the Hindu-Javanese Kingdom in East Java, especially the Majapahit Kingdom. During the reign of Prabu Hayam Wuruk (1350-1389 AD), the terms "dhyaksa," "adhyaksa," and "dharmadhyaksa" already referred to certain positions in the kingdom. These words come from Sanskrit.

A Dutch researcher, W.F. Stutterheim, revealed that "dhyaksa" was a state official in charge of handling judicial matters in court sessions. This Dhyaksa was led by an adhyaksa, the supreme judge who led and supervised the dhyaksas. This view is supported by another researcher, H.H. Juynboll, who stated that adhyaksa was a supervisor or supreme judge. Krom and Van Vollenhoven, other Dutch researchers,…