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DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL CORRELATES AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON ATTITUDES TOWARD THE DEATH PENALTY

NCJ Number
50417
Author(s)
L J MOORE; A J ABNEY
Date Published
1978
Length
31 pages
Annotation
DIFFERENCES IN ATTITUDES TOWARD CAPITAL PUNISHMENT BETWEEN MALES AND FEMALES, ANGLOS AND NON-ANGLOS, AND CATHOLICS AND PROTESTANTS ARE EXPLORED IN A STUDY CONDUCTED IN SOUTHWESTERN TEXAS.
Abstract
STUDY SUBJECTS INCLUDED 78 PERSONS ENROLLED IN EXTENSION COURSES AT AIR FORCE BASES IN SAN ANTONIO, TEX., AND 35 PERSONS ENROLLED IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION COURSES AT SOUTHWEST TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY IN SAN MARCOS. THE QUESTIONNAIRE CONSISTED OF NINE DIFFERENT SITUATIONS IN WHICH RESPONDENTS, ACTING AS JURORS, PRESCRIBED EITHER THE MAXIMUM PRISON TERM OR THE DEATH PENALTY. STUDY FINDINGS SHOW THAT MALES FAVOR CAPITAL PUNISHMENT MORE THAN FEMALES. CATHOLICS AND PROTESTANTS HAVE SIMILAR ATTITUDES TOWARD THE DEATH PENALTY. DIFFERENCES IN ATTITUDES BETWEEN ANGLOS AND MEXICAN-AMERICANS ARE NOT SIGNIFICANT, BUT BLACKS ARE MUCH LESS IN FAVOR OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT THAN ARE ANGLOS AND MEXICAN-AMERICANS. RESPONDENTS GENERALLY FAVOR CAPITAL PUNISHMENT MORE FOR OFFENSES AGAINST PERSONS THAN FOR OFFENSES AGAINST PROPERTY OR INVOLVING PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION. THERE ARE SOME DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN PUNISHMENTS ALLOWED UNDER LAW AND PUNISHMENTS PRESCRIBED BY RESPONDENTS. EVEN THOUGH EIGHT OF THE NINE SITUATIONS WERE NOT ACTUALLY CAPITAL OFFENSES, A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE SAMPLE ADVOCATED CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FOR MURDER, RAPE, KIDNAPPING, AND PERJURY. (IN THE PERJURY SITUATION, AN INNOCENT PERSON HAD BEEN PUT TO DEATH AS A RESULT OF THE PERJURY). SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE STUDIES ARE OFFERED. SUPPORTING DATA AND STUDY INSTRUMENTS ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)