Support for the Death Penalty Remains High at 74%

Gallup ^ | 5/19/03 | Jwffrey M. Jones

[LdSentinal]

PRINCETON, NJ -- Gallup's latest update on the death penalty shows a continued high level of public support for the death penalty for those convicted of murder. When given a choice between the death penalty and life imprisonment as a punishment for murder, a slim majority also continues to favor the death penalty. Despite controversy over the death penalty that led to moratoriums in Illinois and Maryland, a growing percentage of the public believes the death penalty is applied fairly in the United States, and by a two-to-one margin, Americans say the death penalty is not imposed enough rather than imposed too often. Support for the death penalty is high despite the belief of most Americans that innocent people have been put to death in the past five years, although most consider this a rare occurrence.

The poll, conducted May 5-7, finds 74% of Americans in favor of and 24% opposed to the "death penalty for a person convicted of murder." Gallup has asked this basic death-penalty-support question since the 1930s. Support has been above 70% over the last two years, after having been in the mid-to-high 60% range in 2000-2001. The current number is the highest support level Gallup has obtained on this measure since May 1995, when 77% supported the death penalty. The highest support level was 80% in 1994, and the lowest was 42% in 1966.

[goldstategop]

Despite the best efforts of the murderer-loving crowd, most Americans know there is no proof a truly innocent person has ever been executed in the United States. The problem isn't that the wrong people are in danger of being executed, the problem is the right people, that is murderers who have murdered innocents, are not being executed at all, or very slowly. Basically, the justice system denies the families of the victims the justice they deserve. And when all is said and done you can be sure the murderer-loving crowd's values speak for themselves by those whose cause they do NOT champion - those no longer around to enjoy their lives on this earth as a result of it being taken away by a killer. Let's hear it for the death penalty.

[SamAdams76]

I'm surprised the death penalty has so much support here in America. The way the libs talk, you'd think it was only some neanderthals from places like Texas and Alabama that supported it. However, 3/4 of the entire population is in support of it.

[Uncle Hal]

This is very interesting because the liberal press has been preaching the opposite of this. They have been saying support for the death penalty has been declining. It will be interesting to see how they spin this.

[therut]

I was thinking of the death penality while driving home today. 3 men escaped from prision all considered armed and dangerous one 19 year old in for murder------and I thought of my mon 69 years old living by herself(yes she is armed) but thinking how I would feel if one of these people broke into her house etc and killed her. I would scream give the death penality to the bastards!!!!

[tet68]

Heck, if it was for X42 it would probably be around 80%.

[Uncle Hal]

I lived for 40 years in S. Cal. but moved 7 years ago to Sonoma Co., 40 miles north of SF., to be near my wives parents. I would say Idaho or Oregon. Having lived in CA. all my life it would be tough to leave. But I never ever thought I would leave LA but I did and would never go back. I am close to 70 so medical care starts to be a concern so I would not want to be not to far from a fairly large city with good hospitals. My wife is an RN and is quite a bit younger than me and she probably would continue to work.