The death penalty is not an option in New Zealand - appropriate sentencing is...

The death penalty is not an option in New Zealand despite the emotional outbursts from Sensible Sentencing Trust spokesman, Garth McVicar. This is a pro-National lobby group in any case. What is needed is appropriate sentencing. In some cases a life sentence, should be just that - natural life! There are other options available: No remission for certain crimes, and no concurrent sentencing for multi - charges. Violent criminals could be given significant levels of solitary confinement.

Please read the news story below:


The government has added its voice to an international campaign to outlaw the death penalty worldwide

New Zealand is joining an international effort to have the death penalty abolished worldwide.

Helen Clark has made the announcement while speaking to Amnesty International representatives at Parliament.

A total of 83 people were executed for murder and one for treason between 1842 and 1961, before the death penalty for murder was abolished in New Zealand. The last execution in this country was in 1957, when Walter Bolton was hanged at Mount Eden prison for killing his wife Beatrice. He had slowly poisoned her by putting arsenic in her tea over a period of a year.

Capital punishment was available as a possible sentence until it was finally removed in 1989.

Helen Clark says the Government is working with other countries to put a resolution to the United Nations to abolish what she calls the ultimate form of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. But the Sensible Sentencing Trust believes the move shows Helen Clark does not want to be re-elected as Prime Minister next year.

Trust spokesman Garth McVicar says while there are no calls yet to re-introduce the death penalty in New Zealand, this is simply another example of putting offenders' rights before those of victims. Mr McVicar says he is shocked because the Trust deals with victims who have had loved ones murdered, and there is no worse form of treatment than that.

He observes that two countries New Zealand is working at achieving free trade deals with - the United States and China - carry out the largest number of executions each year.

Petes Life and World Events