Citation

De Ungria MCA, Jose JM. Forensic Sci. Int. Synergy 2020; 2: 32-34.

Affiliation

Jose M. Jose Law Offices, San Juan City, Philippines.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.fsisyn.2019.11.002

PMID

32411995

PMCID

PMC7219165

Abstract

The effectiveness of the death penalty to deter heinous crimes remains a contentious issue even though it has been abolished in many countries. Three years into President Rodrigo Duterte's administration, the push to re-impose the death penalty is being taken seriously. There is urgency in providing options to the drug problem other than killing drug suspects in the streets or sentencing them to death. The drug problem is a complex issue and exposes the human vulnerability of its users for criminal exploitation. We propose here that addressing these vulnerabilities in a balanced and comprehensive manner through health-focused, rights-based criminal justice responses, conducting forensic science-based drug investigations and determining the social causes of drug abuse is an alternative solution that demands cooperation across different sectors of society as well as underscores the fundamental value of human life.

© 2019 The Authors.

Language: en

Keywords

Death penalty; Forensic science; War on drugs