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![Trend: 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]?](http://content.gallup.com/origin/gallupinc/GallupSpaces/Production/Cms/POLL/f2depk1zguskaycq2sbmyq.png)
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 |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
| 2011 Oct 6-9 |
32 |
64 |
4 |
| 2006 May 8-11 |
34 |
64 |
2 |
|
2004 May 2-4 |
35 |
62 |
3 |
|
1991 Jun 13-16 |
51 |
41 |
8 |
|
1986 Jan 10-13 |
61 |
32 |
7 |
|
1985 Jan 11-14 |
62 |
31 |
7 |
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 |
No, not |
No |
|
% |
% |
% |
|
| 2009 Oct 1-4 |
59 |
31 |
10 |
|
2006 May 8-11 |
63 |
27 |
10 |
|
2005 May 2-5 |
59 |
33 |
8 |
|
2003 May 5-7 |
73 |
22 |
5 |
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% |
|
* Less than 0.5% |
||
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 |
Not permit |
No |
|
2004 Mar 26-28 |
75% |
21 |
4 |
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 |
