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1st Int. Transborder Conf. of the Timor Island: Timor %u2013 Science without borderDili, 7-8 May 2025157A Local Wisdom-Based Cross-Border Crime Prevention Model at the Indonesia%u2013Timor Leste Border: A Legal Pluralism Perspective and Cross-National Empirical ExperienceKarolus Kopong MedanFaculty of Law, Universitas Nusa Cendana, Jl. Adisucipto, Kupang, NTT 85001, IndonesiaEmail: kkopongmedan1962@gmail.comAbstractCross-border crime in the Indonesia%u2013Timor-Leste border region presents complex challenges, driven by weak state control, limited infrastructure, and strong socio-cultural ties among cross-border communities. This study investigated the role of local wisdom and customary law as alternative frameworks for crime prevention within this legally ambiguous, or \prevention model grounded in traditional mechanisms and to compare these practices with similar approaches in other global border regions. Employing a qualitative descriptive approach and document analysis, the study explores local crime prevention systems%u2014such as customary institutions, social sanctions, and collective surveillance%u2014while drawing comparative insights from the Sabah%u2013Philippines, Papua%u2013Papua New Guinea, and Cameroon%u2013Nigeria borders. The findings indicate that customary institutions possess strong social legitimacy and can foster participatory, context-specific responses to transnational crime. However, their integration into formal legal systems remains limited due to normative gaps and insufficient state support. The study recommends the legal recognition of customary systems and the promotion of collaborative governance, situated within the frameworks of legal pluralism and jointgovernance models.Keywords: cross-border crime, local wisdom, customary law, legal pluralism, border security.