Are you in favor of the death penalty for a person convicted of murder?
|
For
|
Against
|
No opinion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2007 Oct 4-7
|
69
|
27
|
4
|
|
2006 Oct 9-12
|
67
|
28
|
5
|
|
2006 May 5-7 ^
|
65
|
28
|
7
|
|
2005 Oct 13-16
|
64
|
30
|
6
|
|
2004 Oct 11-14
|
64
|
31
|
5
|
|
2003 Oct 6-8
|
64
|
32
|
4
|
|
2003 May 19-21
|
70
|
28
|
2
|
|
2002 Oct 14-17
|
70
|
25
|
5
|
|
2001 Oct 11-14
|
68
|
26
|
6
|
|
2001 Feb 19-21 ^
|
67
|
25
|
8
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5
|
67
|
28
|
5
|
|
2000 Jun 23-25
|
66
|
26
|
8
|
|
2000 Feb 14-15
|
66
|
28
|
6
|
|
1999 Feb 8-9
|
71
|
22
|
7
|
|
1995 May 11-14
|
77
|
13
|
10
|
|
1994 Sep 6-7
|
80
|
16
|
4
|
|
1991 Jun 13-16
|
76
|
18
|
6
|
|
1988 Sep 25-Oct 1
|
79
|
16
|
5
|
|
1988 Sep 9-11
|
79
|
16
|
5
|
|
1986 Jan 10-13
|
70
|
22
|
8
|
|
1985 Jan 11-14
|
72
|
20
|
8
|
|
1985 Nov 11-18
|
75
|
17
|
8
|
|
1981 Jan 30-Feb 2
|
66
|
25
|
9
|
|
1978 Mar 3-6
|
62
|
27
|
11
|
|
1976 Apr 9-12
|
66
|
26
|
8
|
|
1972 Nov 10-13
|
57
|
32
|
11
|
|
1972 Mar 3-5
|
50
|
41
|
9
|
|
1971 Oct 29-Nov 2
|
49
|
40
|
11
|
|
1969 Jan 23-28
|
51
|
40
|
9
|
|
1967 Jun 2-7
|
54
|
38
|
8
|
|
1966 May 19-24
|
42
|
47
|
11
|
|
1965 Jan 7-12
|
45
|
43
|
12
|
|
1960 Mar 2-7
|
53
|
36
|
11
|
|
1957 Aug 29-Sep 4
|
47
|
34
|
18
|
|
1956 Mar 29-Apr 3
|
53
|
34
|
13
|
|
1953 Nov 1-5
|
68
|
25
|
7
|
|
1937 Dec 1-6
|
60
|
33
|
7
|
|
1936 Dec 2-7
|
59
|
38
|
3
|
|
^ Based on half sample
|
In your opinion, is the death penalty imposed -- [ROTATED: too often, about the right amount, or not often enough]?
|
Too
often
|
|
Not
enough
|
No
opinion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2007 Oct 4-7
|
21
|
26
|
49
|
4
|
|
2006 May 8-11
|
21
|
25
|
51
|
3
|
|
2005 May 2-5
|
20
|
24
|
53
|
3
|
|
2004 May 2-4
|
23
|
25
|
48
|
4
|
|
2003 May 5-7
|
23
|
26
|
48
|
3
|
|
2002 May 6-9
|
22
|
24
|
47
|
7
|
|
|
21
|
34
|
38
|
7
|
Generally speaking, do you believe the death penalty is applied fairly or unfairly in this country today?
|
|
Fairly
|
Unfairly
|
No opinion
|
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2007 Oct 4-7
|
57
|
38
|
5
|
|
2006 May 8-11
|
60
|
35
|
4
|
|
2005 May 2-5
|
61
|
35
|
4
|
|
|
55
|
39
|
6
|
|
|
60
|
37
|
3
|
|
|
53
|
40
|
7
|
|
2000 Jun 23-25
|
51
|
41
|
8
|
If you could choose between the following two approaches, which do you think is the better penalty for murder -- [ROTATED: the death penalty (or) life imprisonment, with absolutely no possibility of parole]?
|
The death
penalty
|
Life
imprisonment
|
No
opinion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2006 May 5-7 ^
|
47
|
48
|
5
|
|
2001 Feb 19-21 ^
|
54
|
42
|
4
|
|
2000 Aug 29-Sep 5 ^
|
49
|
47
|
4
|
|
2000 Feb 20-21
|
52
|
37
|
11
|
|
1999 Feb 8-9 ^
|
56
|
38
|
6
|
|
1997 Aug 12-13 ^
|
61
|
29
|
10
|
|
1993 Oct 13-18
|
59
|
29
|
12
|
|
1992 Mar 30-Apr 5
|
50
|
37
|
13
|
|
1991 Jun 13-16
|
53
|
35
|
11
|
|
1986 Jan 10-13
|
55
|
35
|
10
|
|
1985 Jan 11-14
|
56
|
34
|
10
|
|
^ Asked of a half sample
|
How often do you think that a person has been executed under the death penalty who was, in fact, innocent of the crime he or she was charged with -- do you think this has happened in the past five years, or not?
|
|
Yes, in past five years
|
No, not
|
No
opinion
|
|
2006 May 8-11
|
63%
|
27
|
10
|
|
2005 May 2-5
|
59%
|
33
|
8
|
|
|
73%
|
22
|
5
|
Do you feel that the death penalty acts as a deterrent to the commitment of murder, that it lowers the murder rate, or not?
|
|
Yes, does
|
No, does not
|
No opinion
|
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2006 May 8-11
|
34
|
64
|
2
|
|
|
35
|
62
|
3
|
|
|
51
|
41
|
8
|
|
|
61
|
32
|
7
|
|
|
62
|
31
|
7
|
Just your best guess, about what percent of people who are executed under the death penalty are really innocent of the crime they were charged with?
[BASED ON ADULTS WHO SAY SOMEONE HAS BEEN EXECUTED UNDER THE DEATH PENALTY IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS WHO WAS INNOCENT OF THE CRIME]
|
2005 May 2-5
|
2003 May 5-7
|
|
%
|
%
|
|
None
|
--
|
*
|
|
1-5%
|
57
|
55
|
|
6-10%
|
14
|
13
|
|
11-20%
|
10
|
8
|
|
21-50%
|
9
|
15
|
|
More than 50%
|
2
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
No opinion
|
8
|
7
|
|
|
|
|
Mean
|
10.7%
|
11.7%
|
|
Median
|
5%
|
5%
|
Which comes closer to your view - [ROTATED: states should be allowed to execute prisoners sentenced to the death penalty by means of lethal injection, (or) lethal injection of death row prisoners represents cruel and unusual punishment that should not be permitted]?
|
Allowed by
means of
lethal injection
|
Not permit
lethal injection
|
No
opinion
|
|
2004 Mar 26-28
|
75%
|
21
|
4
|
Why do you favor the death penalty for persons convicted of murder? [Open-ended]
[BASED ON --715-WHO FAVOR THE DEATH PENALTY FOR PERSONS CONVICTED OF MURDER]
|
May
19-21,
2003
|
Feb
19-21,
2001
|
Feb
14-15,
2000
|
Jun.
13-16,
1991
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
An eye for an eye/They took a life/Fits the crime
|
37
|
48
|
40
|
40
|
|
They deserve it
|
13
|
6
|
5
|
5
|
|
Save taxpayers money/Cost associated with prison
|
11
|
20
|
12
|
12
|
|
Deterrent for potential crimes/Set an example
|
11
|
10
|
8
|
8
|
|
They will repeat crime/Keep them from repeating it
|
7
|
6
|
4
|
4
|
|
Biblical reasons
|
5
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
|
Depends on the type of crime they commit
|
4
|
6
|
6
|
6
|
|
Serve justice
|
4
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
|
Fair punishment
|
3
|
1
|
6
|
6
|
|
If there's no doubt the person committed the crime
|
3
|
2
|
--
|
--
|
|
Would help/benefit families of victims
|
2
|
1
|
--
|
--
|
|
Support/believe in death penalty
|
2
|
6
|
--
|
--
|
|
Don't believe they can be rehabilitated
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
|
Life sentences don't always mean life in prison
|
1
|
2
|
--
|
--
|
|
Relieves prison overcrowding
|
1
|
2
|
--
|
--
|
|
Other
|
4
|
3
|
10
|
10
|
|
No opinion
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
3
|
Why do you oppose the death penalty for persons convicted of murder? [Open-ended]
[BASED ON --277-WHO OPPOSE THE DEATH PENALTY FOR PERSONS CONVICTED OF MURDER]
|
May
19-21,
2003
|
Jun.
13-16,
1991
|
|
%
|
%
|
|
Wrong to take a life
|
46
|
41
|
|
Persons may be wrongly convicted
|
25
|
11
|
|
Punishment should be left to God/religious belief
|
13
|
17
|
|
Need to pay/suffer longer/think about their crime
|
5
|
--
|
|
Possibility of rehabilitation
|
5
|
6
|
|
Depends on the circumstances
|
4
|
--
|
|
Unfair application of death penalty
|
4
|
6
|
|
Does not deter people from committing murder
|
4
|
7
|
|
Other
|
3
|
16
|
|
No opinion
|
4
|
6
|
Do you favor or oppose the death penalty for -- [RANDOM ORDER]? How about for -- [INSERT NEXT ITEM]?
Women
|
Favor
|
Oppose
|
No opinion
|
|
2002 May 6-9
|
68%
|
29
|
3
|
The mentally ill
|
Favor
|
Oppose
|
No opinion
|
|
2002 May 6-9
|
19%
|
75
|
6
|
The Mentally retarded
|
Favor
|
Oppose
|
No opinion
|
|
2002 May 6-9
|
13%
|
82
|
5
|
Juveniles
|
Favor
|
Oppose
|
No opinion
|
|
2002 May 6-9
|
26%
|
69
|
5
|
