Supreme Court decision on cannabis is an opportunity to universalize fairer practices in the penal system, says Dora Cavalcanti.
A criminal defense lawyer argued at an event hosted by Brasil 247 and Conjur for a series of changes stemming from the decriminalization of cannabis possession.
247 - Criminal defense attorney Dora Cavalcanti, director of the Innocence Project Brazil, highlighted the importance of the Supreme Federal Court's (STF) decision being implemented by the justice system, emphasizing that the ruling promotes a cultural shift in how the issue is handled.
She spoke on the panel "The Implementation of the Supreme Federal Court's Decision by the Justice System," during the event "The National Drug Policy: A New Paradigm." The conference was held by Brazil 247, TV 247 e Counsel, with support from the Prerogativas group, in Brasília (DF).
"How can we universalize understandings that are more beneficial to the population? The decision produces a cultural shift in how this issue is addressed. The narrative can, indeed, be replicated by state courts," he stated.
Cavalcanti advocated for a less selective approach, with changes to custody hearings, the formulation of charges, the setting of sentences, and the determination of prison regimes.
The "Just Sentencing Plan," from the National Council of Justice (CNJ) and currently being implemented, seeks to change paradigms and universalize more favorable understandings, engaging civil society to transform the criminal justice system—an opportunity that should not be wasted, he stated.
"The solution to universalize the most favorable understandings and engage civil society to change the reality of the criminal justice system is possible, a window of opportunity not to be wasted," he concluded.
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