Perception of Governance, Conception of Justice, and Victimization: Exploring Citizens’ Attitudes Toward Capital Punishment in China

• In Event: Attitudes toward Capital Punishment

Abstract

Attitudes toward capital punishment are affected by multiple factors including both people’s own experience such as victimization and cultural conception of crime, justice, and authorities. Along with socioeconomic development in China and the development of China’s criminal justice system, citizens’ attitudes toward punishment and criminal justice policies are also changing in China. Not only debates around abolition of capital punishment are emerging in China’s academic fields, but also pro- vs. against-death penalty attitudes and reasons are heatedly discussed by the public. With recent survey outcomes from China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), this paper will explore the links between China’s citizens’ attitudes toward capital punishment and both individual experience and cultural perceptions.

Author

• Yu Gao, Florida State University