COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION

BAGO CITY COLLEGE

GRADUATE SCHOOL PROGRAM
R.F Salas Drive, Balingasag Bago City, Philippines 6101

“SOME PROBLEMS OF CRIMINAL

JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THEIR
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS”

In partial fulfillment in the subject MSC107- Problems in

Criminal Law, Procedure and Evidence

Submitted By:
CECILE C. BALINGCONG
MSCJ-CRIM 2
1ST Sem., AY 2023- 2024

Submitted To:
PROF. AARON X. LIRAZAN
SOME PROBLEMS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

 OVERCROWDED PRISONS

The problems that the Philippine Criminal Justice System is facing today is the issue of
overcrowded prisons. The country’s prison is filled to capacity, with some facilities even
exceeding their intended capacity. This has led to poor living conditions and lack of access to
basic necessities for inmates. Overcrowding also makes it difficult for prison staff to maintain
order and ensure the safety of inmates and personnel. Additionally, it poses a challenge in terms
of providing adequate medical care, education and rehabilitation programs for inmates. This
problem highlights the needs for reforms in the criminal justice system, including the
implementation of alternative sentencing and diversion programs.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

For the problem of overcrowded prison in the Philippines here are my recommendations
for the possible solutions:

 Expansion of facilities, the government can build more prisons or expand the existing
ones to accommodate more inmates.
 Alternative sentencing, the government can consider alternative forms of punishment
such as the community service or house arrest for non- violent offenders.
 Parole and early release, the government can consider releasing inmates who have served
a significant portion of their sentence, had good behavior and posted no risk to society.
 Improvement of the Justice System, the government can work on improving the
efficiency of the justice system to reduce the number of pre trial detainees.
 Rehabilitations programs, the government can provide more opportunities for inmates to
participate in rehabilitation programs that can help them reform and reduce the likelihood
of reoffending.
 Electronic monitoring, the government can consider using electronic monitoring devices
to monitor the movement of low-risk offenders, allowing them to serve their sentences
outside of prison.
 Improving the bail system, the government can work on improving the bail system to
reduce the number of pre-trial detainees.
 Addressing root causes, the government can address the root causes of crime, such as
poverty and lack of education, to reduce the number of people who end up in prison.
 POLICE BRUTALITY, HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION AND THE LACK OF
TRAINING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL

The other problem that Philippine Criminal Justice System is facing today is on
our Law Enforcement which is the issue of police brutality and human rights violation.
There have been numerous reports of extrajudicial killings, torture and other forms of
abuse by police officers in the country. These incidents have sparked public outrage and
calls for reforms in the police force. Another problem is the lack of training for law
enforcement personnel. Many police officers are underpaid, overworked and poorly
equipped which can lead to low morale and low performance. Additionally, some police
officers lack the necessary training and skills to effectively carry out their duties such as
investigating crimes and gathering evidence.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

Here are several possible solutions for the problems of law enforcement in the
Philippines:

 Training and Education: Providing more comprehensive and ongoing

training for law enforcement personnel on topics such as human rights,
investigations and evidence gathering.
 Strengthening Internal Oversight: Establishing mechanisms for internal
oversight and accountability within law enforcement agencies to prevent
abuse and corruption.
 Improving working conditions: Providing better pay, benefits and
equipment for law enforcement personnel to improve morale and
performance.
 Community Policing: Promoting community policies strategies that
involve collaboration and engagement between law enforcement and the
communities they serve.