The American Civil Liberties Union noted that in the 1960's and 1970's only a bare majority of Americans favored capital punishment. They believe that “mounting fear of crime, and the cynical manipulation of the death penalty issue by many politicians for their own political gain, led to a shift upwards” (Web 1). The death penalty now has broad public support in both the United States and Canada. Surveys in the US and Canada regularly show that a sizable majority of adults are in favor of the capital punishment for convicted murderers. Depending upon the exact question asked, “65 to 80% of adults are in favor of the death penalty” (Dison, 2004). In 1984, individuals who give greatest support to capital punishment were found to be older, white, male, rich, urban dwellers, politically independent, and religious believers. 17 The numbers appear to increase when people perceive the crime rate as increasing.
A serious deficiency of almost all public opinion polls is that they generally ask too simple a question: whether the subject is in favor of the capital punishment or not. They rarely offer alternatives to execution in their polling questionnaires.
Faith Group |
White |
African-American |
Fundamentalists |
High level of support for death penalty |
Oppose death penalty |
Evangelicals |
Various positions |
Oppose death penalty |
Views: |
|
|
More likely shaped by: |
Concern over criminal behavior |
Perceptions of the law &criminal justice system |
Capital Punishment deters murder, and is just Retribution Capital punishment, is the execution of criminals by the state, for committing crimes, regarded so heinous, “that this is the only acceptable punishment” (Wilson, 2002). Capital punishment does not only lower the murder rate, but it's value as retribution alone is a good reason for handing out death sentences.
Support for the death penalty in the U.S. has risen to an “average of 80%” (Web 2)........
