The North Carolina Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty joins others across the state in mourning the tragic killing of Iryna Zarutska. Our hearts are with those whose lives have been torn apart by this terrible act of violence. Every person and every community deserves safety, healing, and accountability.
Real public safety comes from evidence-based investments in comprehensive mental health care, community violence prevention programs, robust support for survivors, and re-entry services that help people rebuild their lives after incarceration. These solutions are proven to break cycles of harm and create lasting security.
Responding to acts of violence with more violence does not make communities safer. Decades of evidence show the death penalty does not prevent crime or reduce violence. Instead, the death penalty ignores the root causes of harm and fails to deliver justice.
A clear roadmap already exists for responding to violence in ways that achieve lasting public safety – approaches that prevent future harm, support survivors, and ensure accountability without perpetuating cycles of violence. Rather than pursuing the death penalty, NCCADP urges North Carolina’s leaders to adopt these proven strategies and commit to a path that delivers real safety and justice for all.
North Carolinians deserve nothing less.
