Why did support for the death penalty drop?
Between 2005 and 2007, the percentage of North Carolinians surveyed by the Elon University Poll who said the death penalty is the "most appropriate punishment" for first-degree murder dropped from 61 to 48 percent.
In a poll last month, support remained at the lower number, 13 points below the first survey.
Pollster Hunter Bacot said that to the best of his knowledge Elon had the same methodology, population sampling and wording across the three surveys.
"I would imagine the difference in opinion on our surveys is somewhat attributable to a realization among the public of the fallibility of the process or system, or at least an increased awareness about those cases in which people convicted of crimes and serving sentences were later exonerated," he said in an e-mail to Dome.
One slight change: The coding of responses. The 2005 poll included "the death penalty," "life without parole," "other" and "don't know" as answers, the 2007 poll added "it depends on the evidence" and "sometimes right" and the 2009 poll included "it depends on the evidence."
The percentage that gave an answer other than the death penalty or life without parole did not change between polls.
A 2008 survey of likely voters by the conservative Civitas Institute showed 64 percent support, though the question was more narrowly worded.
After the jump, the results.
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"What do you think is the most appropriate punishment for first-degree murder?"
Nov. 2005: Death penalty, 61 percent; life without parole, 27 percent; other, five percent; don't know, six percent.
April 2007: Death penalty, 48 percent; life without parole, 38 percent; depends on the evidence, four percent; sometimes right, six percent; don't know, three percent.
Feb. 2009: Death penalty, 48 percent; life without parole, 39 percent; depends on the evidence, eight percent; don't know, four percent.
"Do you support the death penalty for first-degree murder in North Carolina?"
Aug. 2008: Yes, 64 percent; no, 24 percent; not sure, 12 percent.
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Try polling using a specific crime, like you should
Don't ask general questions about murders, be spcific and use some of the actual cases from North Carolina's death row. Only capital murders are eligible for the death penalty.
eSpecific Case Support is much higher
81% of the American people supported the execution of Timothy McVeigh, with only 16% opposed. "(T)his view appears to be the consensus of all major groups in society, including men, women, whites, nonwhites, "liberals" and "conservatives." (Gallup 5/2/01).
85% of the primarily liberal Connecticut respondents voiced support for serial/rapist murderer Michael Ross' "voluntary" execution. (Quinnipiac University Poll, January 12, 2005). This is the best death penalty poll I have seen, that shows how distorted polling can be, based on the way a question is asked.
79% support the death penalty for terrorists (Survey USA News Poll #12074, Sponsor: WABC-TV New York, 4/26/2007 New York State poll)
"78% of (Nebraska's) 3,232 respondents said they supported the death penalty for “heinous crimes.” 16% opposed. ". . . a nearly identical number (76%) said they opposed legislation that would abolish the death penalty. ("Survey Shows Statewide Support for Death Penalty", MPB Public Affairs Poll, 2/14/08)
73% of Connecticut voters support the death penalty for the two parolees accused of the Cheshire (Ct) home invasion rape/murders of a mother and her two daughters. While 63% of Connecticut voters support the death penalty for murderers, in general, AT THE SAME TIME. ("Connecticut Voters Support Death Penalty 2-1", Quinnipiac University Poll, 11/7/07). NOTE: Support is more than 3 to 1. The poll showed 73% for execution, 23% opposed, for those parolees. It was 63-27% for the general question.
This, from the French daily Le Monde, December 2006 (1):
Percentage of respondents in favor of executing Saddam Hussein:
Great Britain: 69%
France: 58%
Germany: 53%
Spain: 51%
Italy: 46%
USA: 82%
We are led to believe there isn't death penalty support in England or Europe. European governments won't allow executions when their populations support it: they're anti democratic. (2)
97%+ of Guatemalans support the death penalty. 2.6% oppose
(telephone survey, newspaper Prensa Libre, 2/14/08)
www(dot)latinamericapress.org/article.asp?lanCode=1&artCode=5545
79% support the resumption of hanging in Jamaica. 16% oppose. (Bill Johnson Polling for The Gleaner (Jamaica) Newspaper, 1/12-13/08
Two-thirds of Czechs for death penalty reintroduction - poll
Prague- Almost two-thirds of Czechs believe that death penalty should exist in the Czech Republic, while one-third believes the opposite, according to a poll the CVVM agency conducted in May and released. June 12, 2008, Ceskenoviny.cz/news/
Why the large "error rate" between general and specific case support?
That very wide "error rates", between general support and specific case support, is likely due to the differences in (1) the widespread media coverage of anti death penalty claims, without the balance of contradicting those false claims, producing lower general support, (2) the absence of that influence when looking at individual cases when the public knows the crimes, the guilt of the murderer, and absent the anti death penalty bias factor, thus producing much higher specific case support and/or (3) reluctance of some respondents to voice stronger support for the death penalty, unless specific examples of murderers and their crimes are provided, as evidenced within (1) and (2).
Death Penalty Opposition? Look Again.
Significant percentages of those who say the oppose the death penalty do, in fact, support that sanction under specific circumstances. This provides firm evidence that death penalty support is much wider and deeper than expressed with the answer to the general death penalty polling questions.
57% of those who say they oppose the death penalty, generally, actually do support it for McVeigh's execution (81% supported the execution of McVeigh, 16% opposed (Gallup 5/02/01), while 65% offer general support for executions, with 28% opposed (Gallup, 6/10/01). The polls were conducted at nearly the same time.
40% who say they oppose the death penalty, generally, actually do support it for terrorists. (79% support and 18% oppose the death penalty for terrorists. 67% support and 29% oppose the death penalty for murder.) (SAME POLL - Survey USA News Poll #12074, Sponsor: WABC-TV New York, 4/26/2007 New York State poll)
84% of those who, generally, say they oppose the death penalty, actual did support it for Michael Ross. (SAME POLL - 85% say Connecticut serial rapist/murderer Michael Ross should be allowed to waive appeals and be executed. When asked whether they favor or oppose the death penalty, 59% favor - 31% oppose (Quinnipiac University Poll, January 12, 2005).
NOTE: The percentages will likely have a range of change, instead of a specific percentage, because there would be a transfer of points, not just from those opposing, under the general question, but from the undecided" or "did not answer" group, as well, into the supportive group for specific murders.