The Justice That Works Act

Press Release

United States Senate candidate, Rep. Loretta Sanchez today issued the following statement in support of the state ballot initiative Proposition 62, the "Justice That Works Act," (JWTA) that would repeal California's capital punishment law, while requiring convicted murderers to pay restitution to their victims.

Said Rep. Sanchez:

"I support the Justice That Works Act because I believe the death penalty is not administered in a fair, efficient or effective manner. Despite decades of research, commentary and judicial review, the death penalty in California remains an ineffective deterrent and does not meet the constitutional standards of due process. The JTWA provides for life without parole, restitution to victims and ensures convicted criminals stay in prison.

"That is why, after careful consideration and 20 years experience in public office, I have concluded that we must end the fruitless attempts at reform and simply end the death penalty in California. "

"I call on all Californians to support Justice That Works Act. We must take action to ensure that justice is served, society is protected and victims receive restitution whenever possible. When society undertakes to impose the ultimate sentence on its citizens it must meet the most stringent standards of fairness and due process."

According to the JTWA campaign, the death penalty has proven to be ineffective justice. It drags out the legal process for decades, denying closure to many victims' families while wasting California's fiscal resources. Because of its rare and arbitrary application, the death penalty fails to deter crime, according to a 2012 National Academy of Sciences study. The death penalty system has also been criticized for racial and economic bias.

Despite lengthy appeals guaranteed by constitutional due process rights, the risk of executing the innocent remains a real and unacceptable danger. Nationally, since 1973, 156 persons convicted and sentenced to death have either been acquitted of all charges that placed them on death row; had all charges dismissed related to the crime that put them on death row; or, been granted a complete pardon based upon evidence of innocence. [1]

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