| Commission recommends New Jersey abolish death penalty
08.01.07
Reprieve applauds the recommendation of the New Jersey Death Penalty Study Commission that the State of New Jersey abolish the death penalty. Over the last 12 months, the Commission has carried out a thorough review of the death penalty and heard evidence and testimony reflecting every facet of the debate. The Commission recommended that the death penalty be substituted with life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. In addition, the Commission recommended that any cost savings resulting from the abolition of the death penalty to be used for the survivors of victims of homicide.
The report, delivered to the Governor of New Jersey and the State Legislature on 2 January 2007, found that:
- there is increasing evidence that the death penalty is inconsistent with evolving standards of decency;
- there is no compelling evidence that the death penalty has a deterrent effect in reducing the commission of capital offences; and
- due to the lengthy appeal process and additional procedural safeguards involved in capital cases the costs of the death penalty are actually greater than the costs of life in prison without parole
Reprieve’s Senior Counsel, Zachary Katznelson stated, “We are delighted that, having completed this review, the Commission recommended that the death penalty be abolished. We now urge the New Jersey Legislature to adopt legislation eliminating this barbaric punishment.”
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