Just the Facts: A Descriptive Analysis of Inmate Attitudes toward Capital Punishment

Abstract

Surveys from 309 inmates at a close-security prison in southwest Ohio revealed that the death penalty attitudes of prison inmates are as considered as they are diverse. Results indicated that 43% supported the death penalty but that support softened considerably when alternatives such as “true” life were offered. Based on their personal experiences, much of the opposition to capital punishment (53%) stemmed from the inmates’ beliefs that executions do not deter violent crime. However, that opposition dropped to 34% when the respondents were asked if the death penalty should apply to the physical and sexual abuse of children.