USA - North Carolina. Poll: N.C. residents reject death penalty

Poll: N.C. residents reject death penalty; Respondents favor life without parole and restitution. North Carolinians would rather have convicted killers pay restitution to their victims' families if they spend the rest of their lives behind bars, according to a new poll. A survey by Public Policy Polling found 68 % of North Carolina residents support replacing the death penalty with life in prison without parole, if offenders are required to work and pay restitution to the families of their victims. A majority of respondents who identified themselves as politically conservative said they favor ending the death penalty and redirecting dollars spent on it to helping victims. Public Policy Polling surveyed 600 North Carolinians by telephone between Feb. 7-10. 44 % of respondents identified themselves as conservative while 26 % identified as liberal. The remainder called themselves moderates. The poll revealed: 68 % supported ending the death penalty so defendants could work and pay restitution. 63 % supported ending the death penalty if the money now spent on capital punishment was redirected to crime fighting. 55 % supported ending the death penalty if the money was redirected to solving cold cases and assisting victims. No one has been executed in North Carolina since 2006 and no new death sentences were handed down in 2012, which hadn't happened in 35 years. There are 152 men and women on North Carolina's death row.