Kentuckians’ changes in attitudes toward death penalty∗

Abstract

Using data collected in June, 1997 from a probability sample (N=709) of Kentucky's residents, the present paper examines the factors influencing attitudes toward death penalty and factors associated with changes in support for death penalty when alternative punitive measures for the offenders are presented. Confirming the conclusion drawn from several previous studies, our findings indicate that attitudes toward capital punishment are complex and multidimensional. While the majority of the population investigated (69.4%) tend to favor the death penalty, only 52.3% (i.e., 38.2% of the whole sample) of those who initially indicated support for capital punishment manifested stability of their opinions when "life in prison without parole and restitution made to the victim's family" is suggested as a possible alternative sentence. Results indicate that the attitudinal change is primarily a function of demographic factors such as age, gender, and race.

Public opinion and the death penalty in Japan

“…As previously noted, studies conducted in Japan showed that the language used in surveys meant to assess public attitudes toward death penalty did make a real difference in the opinion polls’ outcomes (Bacon et al., 2017). Moreover, several research studies (Bohm et al., 1993; Dieter, 1997; Fox et al., 1991; Paternoster, 1991; Sandys and McGarrell, 1995;Vito et al., 1999) indicate that when respondents could choose between capital punishment and life in prison without the possibility of parole, public support for death penalty decreased substantially. Similar findings were obtained in other retentionist countries, such as China (Hood, 2009).…”

“…For instance, some studies found that support for death penalty increases with age (Alston, 1976; Fox et al., 1991; Maggard et al., 2012), while other researchers noted that death penalty support decreases with age (Hessing et al., 2003). On the other hand, several studies could not identify any age effect (Jiang et al., 2010a, 2010b; Keil and Vito, 1991; Kelley and Braithwaite, 1990; Tyler and Weber, 1982; Unnever, 2010; Unnever and Cullen, 2006, 2007; Vito et al., 1999).…”

“…Regarding the impact of direct victimization on public opinion about death penalty, research generally indicates that crime victims and non-victims do not differ significantly in their support for the death penalty (Bobo and Johnson, 2004; Tyler and Weber, 1982; Unnever et al., 2007; Vito et al., 1999). Keil and Vito (1991), however, found that violent victimization had an indirect effect on support for death penalty via fear of crime.…”

“…Regarding fear of crime effects, some studies found that fear of crime had a positive and significant effect on punitiveness in general (e.g., Costelloe et al., 2009; Dowler, 2003; Johnson, 2009), or on support for death penalty, in particular (Keil and Vito, 1991; Unnever et al., 2007). Nonetheless, several researchers concluded that fear of crime and support for capital punishment were not significantly related (Fox et al., 1991; Kelley and Braithwaite, 1990; Tyler and Weber, 1982; Unnever and Cullen, 2007; Vito et al., 1999).…”

“…Regarding inter-group comparisons based on gender, the findings of studies conducted in US and other countries generally indicate that males are significantly more likely to favor death penalty than women do (Fox et al., 1991; Hessing et al., 2003; Kelley and Braithwaite, 1990; Stack, 2004; Unnever, 2010; Unnever and Cullen, 2006; Vito et al., 1999). Yet, gender-based differences in support for death penalty were not discovered in studies conducted in Japan (Alston, 1976; Jiang et al., 2010a) or elsewhere (Johnson, 2009; Maggard et al., 2012; Tyler and Weber, 1982).…”