Pennyslvanians’ Perspectives on Capital Punishment

• In Event: Poster Session II

Abstract

While there is a moratorium on the death penalty in Pennsylvania, the Senate's Advisory Committee on Capital Punishment currently is working on a report of the flaws in Pennsylvania's capital punishment. Reflecting national trends, some are advocating for a repeal in the death penalty, while others are advocating for its increased use. With close to 180 inmates on death row in the Commonwealth, what do Pennsylvania citizens think about the death penalty? The purpose of this study is to assess whether support for or opposition to capital punishment and reasons for such a position vary by social group (e.g., race, sex, age, region). To do so, data were collected from a sample of 600 residents of Pennsylvania who responded to the Spring 2016 Penn State Poll, conducted by Center for Survey Research at Penn State Harrisburg and approved by the Pennsylvania State University Institutional Review Board. Descriptive and multivariate statistics will be presented.

Authors

• Kaitlyn Rhubright, Penn State University

• Jennifer Gibbs, Penn State Harrisburg