A QUESTION WAS DEVELOPED TO ASCERTAIN THE RESPONDENTS' POSITION REGARDING CAPITAL PUNISHMENT; JUSTIFICATION FOR THIS POSITION IN TERMS OF THE THREE COMMON ARGUMENTS USED IN THE DEBATE--THAT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IS AN EFFECTIVE DETERRENT, THAT IT IS AN EXPRESSION OF THE SOCIETAL ABHORRENCE OF THE ACT FOR WHICH IT IS THREATENED; AND THAT IT INSURES THE SAFETY OF POLICE OFFICERS, AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE RESPONDENTS' BELIEVE THAT THE POSITION TAKEN REGARDING THESE ARGUMENTS HAD EMPIRICAL SUPPORT. THE QUESTIONNAIRE WAS SENT TO 2,000 MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC SELECTED THROUGH A MULTISTAGE RANDOM SAMPLING PROCESS, AND INCLUDED 470 POLICE OFFICERS IN THE OTTAWA REGION, 700 MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT AND CIVIL SERVANTS INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND 55 INMATES. COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRES WERE RECEIVED FROM 657 IN THE FIRST GROUP, 297 IN THE SECOND, 257 IN THE THIRD, AND 51 IN THE FOURTH. THE SAMPLE WAS DIVIDED INTO FIVE GROUPS BASED ON THEIR DEGREE OF SUPPORT FOR OR AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY. ABOLITIONISTS AND NEAR-RETENTIONISTS WERE THE MOST CONSISTENT GROUPS IN TERMS OF BASING THEIR OPINIONS ON RATIONAL AND INFORMED OPINION, WHILE GROUPS APPARENTLY RESPONDED TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE IN A HAPHAZARD FASHION. RETENTIONISTS APPEAR TO BE EMOTIONAL RATHER THAN RATIONAL IN THEIR SUPPORT OF THE DEATH PENALTY, BUT NEVERTHELESS THEY SEEK ARGUMENTS TO PRESENT A RATIONAL STANCE. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)