ATTITUDES TOWARD CAPITAL-PUNISHMENT - PREFERENCE FOR THE PENALTY OR MERE ACCEPTANCE

Recent reports of general favorability toward capital punishment suggest that there is tremendous support for the penalty. Research also suggests, however that people prefer meaningful alternative sentences and that there is a reluctance to endorse capital punishment for juveniles and defendants who are mentally retarded, Using a quota sampling procedure, 514 Indiana citizens were asked about these specific circumstances surrounding capital punishment and about their support for various goals of sentencing. The results suggest that although general favorability toward capital punishment is quite high (76%), such a result is misleading. Only 9% of general proponents of capital punishment maintain their support for the penalty under all circumstances questioned. Moreover gender of respondents and support for inmates' right to rehabilitation consistently distinguish between degrees of support for capital punishment. The findings have important implications for practical legal issues, such as the selection of capital jurors, as well as for theoretical issues related to the determinants of punitiveness toward lawbreakers.