Numerous victims of lesser crimes have also become the victims of murder since the virtual elimination of capital punishment as a matter of practice in our society. The number of such incidents has greatly increased following the court decisions which ruled unconstitutional most state laws calling for capital punishment.

If no crime is considered serious enough to warrant capital punishment, then the gravity of the most atrocious crime is diminished accordingly. It follows then that the attitude of criminals will be affected.

We strongly reaffirm our resolution of 1972 concerning capital punishment, and we call upon congress and state legislatures to enact legislation which will direct the death penalty for such horrendous crimes as premeditated murder, the killing of a police officer or guard, murder in connection with any other crime, hijacking, skyjacking, or kidnapping where persons are physically harmed in the process.

We urge that legislation which re-establishes the death penalty also include safeguards to eliminate any inequities.