New Jersey

NEW JERSEY, the Garden State, is one of the 13 original colonies of the United States and has become a densely populated region with an intensively used transportation system mostly used to take people and goods out of the state. The state has, perhaps a little unfairly, come to symbolize the rundown industrial northeast of the country and to be associated with corrupt politics and organized crime. New Jersey residents might resent these imputations but have, nevertheless, found it difficult to create much of a sense of distinctive identity.

The state is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, New York State, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. It has a total land area of just over 8,700 square miles, making it the fifth smallest in the country, but has a population estimated at being just over 8,500,000, which is the country's 11th largest. Its capital city is Trenton, and other large urban areas include Newark, which is a larger city than the capital. The state has one of the most ethnically and religiously diverse populations of any in the country, which has become associated, since the 1980s at least, with progressive politics, resulting in the regular election of Democratic candidates.

The general sentiment toward ethical issues is in line with this political loyalty, and hence there appear to be majorities that are in favor of samesex [Page 383]unions and are pro—choice in the case of abortions. In this environment, the state administration has forged ahead with stem cell research. The State of New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology offers funding for stem cell research, a free source of stem cells for research, and the nurturing of a supportive environment for such research, including funding and support for the necessary infrastructure. The commission has set out its main commitments as being

State administrators have shown a dedication to preserving state laws and resisting the imposition of unwanted values or policies from elsewhere.