The Editor, Sir:

I believe the death penalty should remain on the books, but if this is to be so, the security forces will have to receive expert training in investigating these cases. I know that we have a forensic lab here in Jamaica, but I'm not sure of its competence.

Another concern is that before the death penalty can be restored, corruption will have to be eradicated from the police force to avoid killing innocent people.

Investigators of firm integrity will have to be in charge of probing capital murder cases. One example is the police officer who admitted to fabricating evidence against a certain individual. If that were a case of capital murder then this person would have been hanged, though being innocent of that particular crime.

Again, I agree that the death penalty should remain on the books and be put into practice, but it needs to be done in a thorough and sensible manner, which if done correctly, will not be anytime soon.

I am, etc.,

HAILE DENNIS

Research scientist

UWI, Mona