12 October 2007

Sensible Sentencing Trust reveals hidden agenda

The Sensible Sentencing Trust has revealed publicly for the first time today that it sees the reinstatement of the death penalty in New Zealand as a viable option for combating crime.

The group's spokesperson Garth McVicar stated on radio this morning that although the Trust does not support the introduction of the death penalty today, they see it as an option for the future.

Green Party Justice Spokesperson Nandor Tanczos says: "We need to take this seriously, as Mr McVicar also revealed that the reinstatement of this lethal punishment is something that is regularly debated at Sensible Sentencing Trust meetings.

"This reinforces the claim that they have a hidden agenda, although it is no longer quite so hidden.

"Reintroducing the death penalty will not help to reduce crime in New Zealand. We know what we need to do; early intervention, address parenting issues, housing transience, mental illness, keeping young people in education instead of booting them out of school because of a tongue piercing or a haircut. We also need to address the entrenched poverty and inequality in New Zealand society.

"Of course prisons are part of the package in terms of containment, but we can do a lot better than we are doing now.

"The death penalty does not work. It is not a deterrent, as well demonstrated in the USA. It kills innocent people as well, as would likely have happened to Arthur Allen Thomas if we had it here, and it debases society.

"It serves only to satisfy a desire among some for revenge and I doubt it is supported by the majority of victims. We should be putting our efforts into preventing people from turning to crime and into rehabilitating those that do, not killing them."

ENDS

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