Examining Changes in Attitudes on the Death Penalty: 40 Years of Public Opinion(JFSCI) - Juniper Publishers

Examining Changes in Attitudes on the Death Penalty: 40 Years of Public Opinion by Chandrika M Kelso in JFSCI - Juniper Publishers 

Since the first recorded execution in what is now the United States in 1608 few social and legal issues have engendered the controversy of the death penalty. The history of support for the death penalty is marked by large swings in public opinion, from a low of 42% in 1966 to a high of 80% in 1994. Since 1994, support for the death penalty has gradually declined to its current level at 60%. This research examines 40 years (1974-2014) of public opinion on the death penalty from the General Social Survey. While previous research typically focused on two or three demographic factors to explain attitudes towards the death penalty, this research is the first to examine trends across 40 years and the relationship between 13 significant independent variables and the death penalty. Support for the death penalty is strongest among married White males, age 30-69, who have an associate's degree, and who identify as Republican, conservative, and Protestant.

https://juniperpublishers.com/jfsci/JFSCI.MS.ID.555586.php 

 https://juniperpublishers.com/jfsci/pdf/JFSCI.MS.ID.555586.pdf