Nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults (64%) support the imposition of the death penalty for persons convicted of murder — somewhat fewer than in the late 1990s, but little changed since 2001. Currently, 29% oppose execution in these circumstances. Support is higher among men (68%) than women (60%), and is substantially higher among whites (69%) than among African Americans (44%) and Hispanics (45%). More Republicans than Democrats favor the death penalty, but even among the latter, a small majority does so (56%, vs. 78% for Republicans). Read More
Russell Heimlich is a former web developer at Pew Research Center.
