The Troy Davis Effect: Does Information on Wrongful Convictions Affect Death Penalty Opinions?

Abstract

Following the Supreme Court's use of social science research in Furman v. Georgia, numerous studies have examined the factors affecting support for the death penalty. Although it is known that the death penalty continues to have strong support in the United States, it remains unclear how the rise in media coverage of wrongful convictions and the increasing number of Hispanics in the United States will affect opinions of and support for the death penalty. Using a sample of students at a predominantly Hispanic university, this study explores the effect of exposure to information on wrongful convictions on opinions about the death penalty.