Death Penalty Poll

Are you in favor of the death penalty for a person convicted of murder?



For


Against


No Opinion


2007 Oct 4-7


69%


27%


04%

2006 May 2-5


65%


28%


07%

2005 Oct 13-16


64%


30%


06%

2005 May 2-5


74%


23%


03%

2004 May 2-4


71%


26%


03%

2003 Oct 6-8


64%


32%


04%

2003 May 19-21


70%


28%


02%

2003 May 5-7


74%


24%


02%

2002 October 10-13


70%


25%


05%

2002 May 6-9


72%


25%


03%

2001 Oct 11-14


68%


26%


06%

2001 May 10-14


65%


27%


08%

2001 Feb 19-21


67%


25%


08%

2000 Aug 29-Sep 5


67%


28%


05%

2000 Jun 23-25


66%


26%


08%

2000 Feb 14-15


66%


28%


06%

1999 Feb 8-9


71%


22%


07%

1995 May 11-14


77%


13%


10%

1994 Sep 6-7


80%


16%


04%

1991 Jun 13-16


76%


18%


06%

1988 Sep 25-Oct 1


79%


16%


05%

1988 Sep 9-11


79%


16%


05%

1986 Jan 10-13


70%


22%


08%

1985 Jan 11-14


72%


20%


08%

1985 Nov 11-18


75%


17%


08%

1981 Jan 30-Feb 2


66%


25%


09%

1978 Mar 3-6


62%


27%


11%

1976 Apr 9-12


66%


26%


08%

1972 Nov 10-13


57%


32%


11%

1972 Mar 3-5


50%


41%


09%

1971 Oct 29-Nov 2


49%


40%


11%

1969 Jan 23-28


51%


40%


09%

1967 Jun 2-7


54%


38%


08%

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%


07%

1937 Dec 1-6


60%


33%


07%

Are you in favor of the death penalty for a person convicted of murder?

(Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,010 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted Oct. 4-7, 2007. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.)



For


Against


No Opinion


Conservative


81%


16%


03%

Republican


81%


16%


03%

Over 50 Male


78%


18%


04%

Male


76%


20%


04%

18-49 Male


74%


22%


04%

West


73%


25%


02%

Some College


73%


22%


05%

White


73%


23%


04%

Midwest


72%


24%


04%

High School or Less


72%


23%


05%

Total College


67%


29%


04%

Independent


67%


28%


05%

East


66%


30%


04%

South


66%


29%


05%

College Grad


66%


30%


04%

Over 50 Female


66%


30%


04%

Moderate


64%


32%


04%

Female


62%


33%


05%

18-49 Female


60%


37%


03%

Democrat


60%


35%


05%

Liberal


59%


36%


05%

Post Grad


57%


41%


02%

Non White


55%


41%


04%

Why do you favor the death penalty for persons convicted of murder?
(Asked of death penalty supporters)



May
2003


Feb.
2001


Feb.
2000


Jun.
1991


Eye for an Eye/Punishment Fits Crime


37%


48%


40%


40%

They Deserve It


13%


06%


05%


05%

Save Taxpayers Money/Prison Costs


11%


20%


12%


12%

Acts as Deterrent/Sets an Example


11%


10%


08%


08%

Incapacitation/They Will Repeat Crime


07%


06%


04%


04%

Biblical Reasons


05%


03%


03%


03%

Depends on Type of Crime Committed


04%


06%


06%


06%

To Serve Justice


04%


01%


03%


02%

Fair Punishment


03%


01%


06%


06%

If No Doubt They Committed Crime


03%


02%


00%


00%

Support/Believe in Death Penalty


02%


06%


00%


00%

They Cannot be Rehabilitated


02%


02%


01%


01%

Relieves Prison Overcrowding


01%


02%


00%


00%

Life Sentences Don’t Mean Life


01%


02%


00%


00%


Other


04%


03%


10%


10%

No Opinion


02%


01%


03%


03%

Generally speaking, do you believe the death penalty is applied fairly or unfairly in this country today?



Fairly


Unfairly


No opinion


2007 Oct


57%


38%


05%

2006 May


60%


35%


04%

2005 May


61%


35%


04%

2004 May


55%


39%


06%

2003 May


60%


37%


03%

2002 May


53%


40%


07%

2000 June


51%


41%


08%

What do you think should be the penalty for murder -- the death penalty, or life imprisonment with absolutely no possibility of parole?

Death Penalty Life Imprisonment No Opinion
2006 May 47% 48% 05%
2005 May 56% 39% 05%
2004 May 50% 46% 04%
2003 May 53% 44% 03%
2002 May 52% 43% 05%
2001 May 52% 43% 04%
2001 Feb 52% 42% 04%
2000 Sept 50% 47% 04%
2000 Feb 52% 37% 11%
1999 Feb 56% 38% 06%
1997 Aug 61% 29% 10%
1994 June 50% 32% 18%
1993 Oct 59% 29% 12%
1992 Apr 50% 37% 13%
1991 June 53% 35% 11%
1986 Jan 55% 35% 10%
1985 Jan 56% 34% 10%

In your opinion, is the death penalty imposed too often today or not often enough?

Too
Often Not
Enough About
Right No
Opinion
2007 Oct 21% 49% 26% 04%
2006 May 21% 51% 25% 03%
2005 May 20% 53% 24% 03%
2004 May 23% 48% 25% 04%
2003 May 23% 48% 26% 03%
2002 May 22% 47% 24% 07%
2001 May 21% 38% 34% 07%
1999 Feb 25% 64% 04% 07%

Harris Poll

"Do you believe in capital punishment -- that is, the death penalty -- or are you opposed to it?"

Favor Oppose Don't Know
Feb 5-11, 2008 63% 30% 07%
Dec 10-16, 2003 69% 22% 09%
July 2001 67% 26% 07%
2000 64% 25% 11%
1999 71% 21% 08%
1997 75% 22% 03%
1983 68% 27% 05%
1976 67% 25% 08%
1973 59% 31% 10%
1970 47% 42% 11%
1969 48% 38% 14%
1965 38% 47% 15%

ABC NEWS / WASHINGTON POST

Do you favor or oppose the death penalty for persons convicted of murder?

Favor Oppose Don't Know
2005 April 65% 26% 09%
2001 Apr 63% 28% 09%
2000 June 63% 27% 10%
2000 Jan 64% 27% 09%
1998 Aug 69% 27% 04%
1996 Aug 77% 19% 04%

FOX NEWS / OPINION DYNAMICS POLL

Do you favor or oppose the death penalty for persons convicted of premeditated murder?

Favor Oppose Not Sure
2005 March 69% 24% 08%
2003 June 69% 23% 08%
2001 June 68% 22% 10%
2001 Apr 66% 23% 11%
2000 June 68% 24% 08%
2000 Feb 67% 22% 11%
1998 Jan 74% 18% 08%
1997 June 73% 18% 09%
1997 May 76% 17% 07%