Post by sclcookie on Jun 2, 2006 1:13:23 GMT -5
2 in 3 Favor Death Penalty for Convicted Murderers----Public divided over
death penalty or life imprisonment as better punishment
Gallup's latest update on support for the death penalty finds most
Americans continue to support the execution of convicted murderers. When
given an explicit choice between the death penalty and life imprisonment
with no possibility of parole, however, Americans divide evenly as to
which is the better penalty for murder. Even though Americans believe
innocent people have been executed in the last 5 years and doubt that the
death penalty deters people from committing murder, most Americans believe
it is applied fairly in this country and say it should be used more often.
Basic Support for the Death Penalty
65 % of Americans say they favor the death penalty for convicted
murderers, according to a Gallup Poll conducted May 5-7, 2006. This level
of support is similar to what Gallup has found over the past 3 years.
Since 2000, roughly 2 in 3 Americans have favored the death penalty, with
2 slightly higher 70% readings in May 2003 and October 2002.
The current level of support is on par with what Gallup measured in the
late 1970s and early 1980s, just after the death penalty was reinstated in
this country. Support was higher from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s --
consistently above 70% and reaching a high of 80% in September 1994.
More Americans have favored than opposed the death penalty each time this
question has been asked since 1936, with just one exception. In a May 1966
Gallup poll, the public opposed the death penalty by a 47% to 42% margin.
That reading came as the country was debating the legality of the death
penalty. The 1972 Supreme Court ruling in Furman v. Georgia voided all
state death penalty statutes. No executions took place in the United
States from 1968 to 1976. In 1976 the Court ruled in Gregg v. Georgia that
newly written state statutes that addressed the Court's early concerns
were constitutional.
Although in principle roughly 2/3 of Americans are supportive of the death
penalty, they divide evenly in their preference of life imprisonment with
no possibility of parole versus the death penalty as the better punishment
in murder cases. Given these explicit alternatives, 47% prefer the death
penalty and 48% life imprisonment. Americans have typically shown a slight
preference for the death penalty on this measure -- usually just above
50%.
In general, Republicans are more likely to support the death penalty than
Democrats, and men are more likely to support it than women. A majority of
all these groups say they favor the death penalty for those convicted of
murder (84% of Republicans, 63% of independents, and 52% of Democrats; 69%
of men and 61% of women).
However, when given the choice of the death penalty or life imprisonment,
Republicans choose the death penalty by a 64% to 31% margin, while
Democrats choose life imprisonment by a 63% to 31% margin. A majority of
men believe the death penalty is the better punishment for murder (56% to
39%), while a majority of women disagree and believe life imprisonment is
the better option (55% to 39%).
The Death Penalty in America
In addition to gauging basic public support for the death penalty, Gallup
routinely asks questions designed to assess the way Americans feel about
some of the specific controversies associated with the death penalty. The
public clearly recognizes some of the problems with the use of capital
punishment in this country, but on balance still views it positively.
For example, a majority of Americans, 63%, agree with critics of the death
penalty that innocent people have been executed under the death penalty in
recent years. Only 27% believe this has not happened in the past 5 years.
In 2 previous measurements, at least 59% of Americans said they think that
people have been executed for crimes they did not commit.
Additionally, Americans dispute the notion, espoused by some death penalty
proponents, that it deters people from committing murder. Just 34% believe
it does, while 64% believe it does not. Americans' attitudes on this have
changed dramatically over time -- in the 1980s and early 1990s, most
Americans believed the death penalty did act as a deterrent to murder.
Previous Gallup polls have shown Americans support the death penalty
because they believe it provides justice ("an eye for an eye") and
revenge, not because of its practical effect in deterring future murders.
Despite recognizing that innocent people may have been executed, most
Americans still say the death penalty is applied fairly in this country.
60 % say so in the most recent poll, conducted May 8-11, and a majority
has held this view since Gallup first asked about it in 2000.
Only about 1 in 5 Americans believe the death penalty is imposed too
often. That sentiment has been consistent over the past 6 years. Americans
are much more likely to believe that the death penalty is not imposed
often enough -- 51% hold that view in the current survey, and close to 1/2
have done so since 2002. That leaves about 1 in 4 Americans who believe
the death penalty is used about the right amount of time.
Survey Methods
These results are based on telephone interviews with randomly selected
national samples of approximately 500 adults, aged 18 and older, conducted
May 5-7 and May 8-11, 2006. For results based on this sample, one can say
with 95% confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and
other random effects is 5 percentage points. In addition to sampling
error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys
can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
[see: poll.gallup.com/content/default.aspx?ci=23167&pg=2]
(source: Gallup News Service)
death penalty or life imprisonment as better punishment
Gallup's latest update on support for the death penalty finds most
Americans continue to support the execution of convicted murderers. When
given an explicit choice between the death penalty and life imprisonment
with no possibility of parole, however, Americans divide evenly as to
which is the better penalty for murder. Even though Americans believe
innocent people have been executed in the last 5 years and doubt that the
death penalty deters people from committing murder, most Americans believe
it is applied fairly in this country and say it should be used more often.
Basic Support for the Death Penalty
65 % of Americans say they favor the death penalty for convicted
murderers, according to a Gallup Poll conducted May 5-7, 2006. This level
of support is similar to what Gallup has found over the past 3 years.
Since 2000, roughly 2 in 3 Americans have favored the death penalty, with
2 slightly higher 70% readings in May 2003 and October 2002.
The current level of support is on par with what Gallup measured in the
late 1970s and early 1980s, just after the death penalty was reinstated in
this country. Support was higher from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s --
consistently above 70% and reaching a high of 80% in September 1994.
More Americans have favored than opposed the death penalty each time this
question has been asked since 1936, with just one exception. In a May 1966
Gallup poll, the public opposed the death penalty by a 47% to 42% margin.
That reading came as the country was debating the legality of the death
penalty. The 1972 Supreme Court ruling in Furman v. Georgia voided all
state death penalty statutes. No executions took place in the United
States from 1968 to 1976. In 1976 the Court ruled in Gregg v. Georgia that
newly written state statutes that addressed the Court's early concerns
were constitutional.
Although in principle roughly 2/3 of Americans are supportive of the death
penalty, they divide evenly in their preference of life imprisonment with
no possibility of parole versus the death penalty as the better punishment
in murder cases. Given these explicit alternatives, 47% prefer the death
penalty and 48% life imprisonment. Americans have typically shown a slight
preference for the death penalty on this measure -- usually just above
50%.
In general, Republicans are more likely to support the death penalty than
Democrats, and men are more likely to support it than women. A majority of
all these groups say they favor the death penalty for those convicted of
murder (84% of Republicans, 63% of independents, and 52% of Democrats; 69%
of men and 61% of women).
However, when given the choice of the death penalty or life imprisonment,
Republicans choose the death penalty by a 64% to 31% margin, while
Democrats choose life imprisonment by a 63% to 31% margin. A majority of
men believe the death penalty is the better punishment for murder (56% to
39%), while a majority of women disagree and believe life imprisonment is
the better option (55% to 39%).
The Death Penalty in America
In addition to gauging basic public support for the death penalty, Gallup
routinely asks questions designed to assess the way Americans feel about
some of the specific controversies associated with the death penalty. The
public clearly recognizes some of the problems with the use of capital
punishment in this country, but on balance still views it positively.
For example, a majority of Americans, 63%, agree with critics of the death
penalty that innocent people have been executed under the death penalty in
recent years. Only 27% believe this has not happened in the past 5 years.
In 2 previous measurements, at least 59% of Americans said they think that
people have been executed for crimes they did not commit.
Additionally, Americans dispute the notion, espoused by some death penalty
proponents, that it deters people from committing murder. Just 34% believe
it does, while 64% believe it does not. Americans' attitudes on this have
changed dramatically over time -- in the 1980s and early 1990s, most
Americans believed the death penalty did act as a deterrent to murder.
Previous Gallup polls have shown Americans support the death penalty
because they believe it provides justice ("an eye for an eye") and
revenge, not because of its practical effect in deterring future murders.
Despite recognizing that innocent people may have been executed, most
Americans still say the death penalty is applied fairly in this country.
60 % say so in the most recent poll, conducted May 8-11, and a majority
has held this view since Gallup first asked about it in 2000.
Only about 1 in 5 Americans believe the death penalty is imposed too
often. That sentiment has been consistent over the past 6 years. Americans
are much more likely to believe that the death penalty is not imposed
often enough -- 51% hold that view in the current survey, and close to 1/2
have done so since 2002. That leaves about 1 in 4 Americans who believe
the death penalty is used about the right amount of time.
Survey Methods
These results are based on telephone interviews with randomly selected
national samples of approximately 500 adults, aged 18 and older, conducted
May 5-7 and May 8-11, 2006. For results based on this sample, one can say
with 95% confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and
other random effects is 5 percentage points. In addition to sampling
error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys
can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
[see: poll.gallup.com/content/default.aspx?ci=23167&pg=2]
(source: Gallup News Service)