how come different states have different laws when i presume you must all have the same president. Excuse my ignorance here, but i genuinely dont get it
2006-12-14 08:06:24 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
Some laws are at the federal level. Some are kept as state decided. Capitol punishment is left up to the state to decide.
2006-12-14 08:08:54 · answer #1 · answered by Take it from Toby 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Under the Constitution each State has a right to legislate laws that are best suited for that particular State. The term is "States rights" this gives the Governor & controlling legislature control of the resources & laws for a particular State. ie death penalties, legal drinking age, taxes, ect. The president oversees the interests of the nation, while Governor is reponsible for State interests.
Hope this helps.
2006-12-14 16:39:28 · answer #2 · answered by Diamond24 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Each State has its own set of Codes and Laws..i.e New York State Penal Law and so on. Likewise each state has its own Criminal Procedures Law. The Federal Gov't has its set of Laws as well. The FBI gets involve when a crime involves interstate issues. You can look up these laws if you type in your search bar.." Penal Code for the State of______".The Governor of each State along with its (State) Legislator approves new laws or amends old ones. It also sets the penalties for violations of the law. The FBI will prosecute Bank Robbers because the bank is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. The FBI will also prosecute criminals who cross State lines to commit crimes. The Governor of each State has the right to pardon State Criminals and the President has the right to pardon Federal Prisoners. Hope this helps.
2006-12-14 16:22:03 · answer #3 · answered by Tom M 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Each state can punish crimes however they chose, so long as the state law or punishment does not violate the Constitution.
For example if a state wanted to use the death penalty to punish rapist, they could not, because that would and has been ruled as Unconstitutional. The death penalty for capital murder has been ruled as constitutional by the Supreme Court.
2006-12-14 17:47:30 · answer #4 · answered by On Time 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why do Some states have State Tax and others don't. Why are there many brands of the same product ? Government works State by State, and as such, the PEOPLE vote State by State. So if the majority do not want to impose a Capitol Punishment, then they do not have one.
Hope this Helps.
2006-12-14 16:10:43 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
In 1976, the US Supreme Court overturned it's previous ruling in 1973 that the death penalty was cruel and unusual punishment.
SINCE the laws NOT directly covered in the US Constitution fall to the "various states"... most criminal law and it's penaties are covered. Just like liquor sales, age of consent, hunting and fishing, building codes, abortion (oops) SHOULD be. It is the choice of the registered VOTERS of the state.
There are currently 38 states without a death-penalty statute: Alaska, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands.
New York courts declared their death penalty to be unconstitutional (state) in June of 2004.
Interestingly, there are still death penalty clauses for rape, kidnap, perjury leading to death, and train-wrecking leading to death in some states.
2006-12-14 16:37:31 · answer #6 · answered by mariner31 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Even though we have one president, he and the federal government do not have ultimate authority for certain crimes committed in individual states.
Under the 10th Amendment to the US Constitution, individual states have the right to make state-specific laws for crimes that may have the death penalty associated with them.
However, there are still some federal crimes that have the death penalty.
2006-12-14 16:13:59 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is a states right issue each state decides on it own, now you can get a federal death sentence in a non-death penality state so to some degree with death penality is in all states but just at different levels of crimes.
2006-12-14 16:12:08 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The US Constitution gives some rights to individuals, some to the states, and some reserved to the federal government. Capital punishment is given to the states and some do/some don't. Hope this helps, great question!
2006-12-14 16:10:35 · answer #9 · answered by Drop Zone 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The US is a 'republic' which give states some control of their own territory. The states that have banned the death penalty are the ones that realilized that it does not work to lower the capital crime numbers and that if killing is wrong - then killing is wrong - which means the state can't kill either. Which to my way of thinking is the proper way to think.
Don't you think so?
2006-12-14 16:18:42 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋