Refugee intake

Press, 12 July 1984, Page 30

Refugee intake

PA Wellington The Government’s IndoChinese refugee immigrant programme, with last year’s target of 650 to be accepted, will continue for 1984-85, the Minister of Immigration, Mr Malcolm, said Mr Malcolm said that the emphasis of the programme would still be on reuniting families. The six-week orientation period at the Mangere reception centre would continue, he said.

Washington NZPA staff correspondent A record 1202 prisoners were on death row in the United States last year, a rise of 13 per cent on 1982. Five were executed, one was killed attempting to escape, three committed suicide, and 99 had their sentences overturned or commuted. This year, nine prisoners have been executed already, bringing the total number of executions to 20 since the .Supreme Court lifted a ban put on them in 1976. A report by the Justice Department attributed - the rising number of executions to increasing reluctance by courts to sanction long appeals, and also the end of a series of appeals by many death row inmates. i About 58 per cent of death row inmates were white, 42 per cent black, 'plus seven American Indians and five Asians. Only 13 of those condemned 'to die were women. Methods of execution in the 38 states with the death penalty are electrocution, hanging, gas, firing squad, and lethal injection.