Trajectories of Death Penalty Opinions in US States, 1974-2022

• In Event: The Death Penalty: Ideology, Attitudes, and Justifications

Abstract

Social surveys, such as the Gallup Poll and the General Social Survey (GSS), have revealed that public opinion on the death penalty is changing over time. This research explores the changing patterns of death penalty support in different US states from 1974 to 2022. Data were obtained from the General Social Survey (GSS), and individual responses were aggregated by state and year. Group-based trajectory models (GBTM) were employed to identify several groups of states following distinct trajectories of death penalty support. Preliminary results suggest that states in different groups exhibit parallel downward trends in death penalty support. This research furthers the understanding of changes in public opinion on the death penalty, as well as the potential predictors of these changes.

Author

• Sishi Wu, California State University, San Bernardino