Most Americans support life imprisonment over the death penalty, according to a Gallup poll, revealing a shift in the majority opinion on this issue for the first time in 34 years.
The poll, based on results from telephone interviews conducted in October with a random sample of 1,526 adults in the US, showed 60% prefer that convicted murders receive a sentence of life imprisonment, while 36% said capital punishment would be better.
This view marks a shift in Americans’ opinion over the past two decades. In the 1980s and 1990s, the majority opinion leaned toward the death penalty.
The survey also is just the second time more people said they thought life in prison was a better punishment than the death penalty; in 2007 they did so by one percentage point, with 48% favouring life in prison and 47% favouring the death penalty.
The current poll, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points, breaks down respondents by age, sex and party affiliation. Within these groups there were differing opinions: Women showed stronger support for life in prison (66%) than men (53%). Younger people also were more likely to show support for life in prison (68%) than older people (57%). Along party lines, 58% of Republicans supported the death penalty over 38% who said life in prison was the better option, and 79% of Democrats preferred life in prison while 19% preferred the death penalty be administered.
