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experiments in abolition: NJ

By Karl R. Keys, Esq.

New Jersey has seen a remarkable drop in murders since repeal of the death penalty.  Over the 18 months since repeal murder is down almost 10%, this despite a deep economic recession, with every month this year seeing a lower number of murders than the preceding year. As DPIC notes: The number of murders in New Jersey declined 24% in the first six months of 2009 compared to the same period last year.  Murders declined in 2008, the year after the state abolished the death penalty, marking the first time since 1999 that New Jersey has seen a drop in murders for two consecutive years.  Murders dropped 11% in 2007, the year following a state-imposed moratorium on executions, which was instituted in 2006. Governor Jon Corzine, who signed the bill abolishing the death penalty, was encouraged by the statistics and attributed the decline to aggressive crime-fighting measures: “The release of these crime report statistics shows that we are winning important battles in the war against violent criminals and gangs,” said the Governor...continue to full post

Full post as published by Capital Defense Weekly on August 05, 2009 (boomark / email).