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Effects of Classroom Instruction and Discussion on Death Penalty Opinions: A Teaching Note

NCJ Number
117388
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: (1989) Pages: 123-131
Author(s)
R M Bohm
Date Published
1989
Length
11 pages
Annotation
Data gathered from pre-test and post-test questionnaires administered to 50 undergraduate criminal justice students at a medium-sized university in northeastern Alabama, formed the basis for an analysis of the influence of death penalty opinions on participants in a college class on death penalty in America.
Abstract
Criminal justice students in the course in Spring 1987 covered an assigned text, The Death Penalty in America by Bedau; had lectures and discussions on the topic; and listened to presentations of both views from five guest speakers. Students were given identical questionnaires at the beginning and end of the semester. Questions sought information on opinions on the death penalty, knowledge of factual information about the death penalty, and demographic characteristics. Additionally, after each guest speaker's address and at one or two other intervals, students were asked to publicly respond to a seven-point Likert-type scale on their opinion about the death penalty for people convicted of first degree murder. The question was based on the concept as polled by Gallup. Analysis of the results revealed that the classroom experience did not change the opinion of a majority of opponents to death penalty. At the beginning of the class, 82 percent favored the death penalty, and 18 percent were opposed. At the end of the class, 56 percent favored while 42 percent opposed, 2 percent were undecided. The study concluded that modifications to the classroom experience may produce different results, and must be investigated further to arrive at a more comprehensive understanding of opinions on the death penalty. Table, notes and 14 references. (Author abstract modified)

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