NCJ Number
171086
Journal
American Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 20 Issue: 1 Dated: (Fall 1995) Pages: 57-87
Date Published
1995
Length
31 pages
Annotation
The impact of a college class on capital punishment on students' attitudes toward the death penalty was studied in an experimental study that gathered data from the experimental group in the class on capital punishment and from a control group of students who took another class offered at the same time.
Abstract
The participants were 106 undergraduates at a State university in North Carolina. The participants completed a questionnaire regarding their attitudes toward capital punishment at the beginning and at the end of the semester. They were also asked factual questions that measured their knowledge about capital punishment. Overall, findings suggest that both groups were not well informed during the pretest measure. However, at the end of the semester, the group enrolled in the death penalty class were more knowledgeable, less supportive of the death penalty based on general and abstract questions, and more likely to favor alternatives to capital punishment than were the students in the control group. Tables, appended instrument, case citation, and 19 references (Author abstract modified)