The lat­est Gallup Poll found sup­port for the death penal­ty at 74%, a fig­ure equal to the lev­el in 2003 and less than the 80% sup­port reg­is­tered in 1994. The poll found that sup­port for cap­i­tal pun­ish­ment dropped to 56% when respon­dents were giv­en the alter­na­tive sen­tenc­ing option of life with­out parole, less than the 61% sup­port in 1997 with the same ques­tion. The per­cent­age of respon­dents who believe an inno­cent per­son has been exe­cut­ed in recent years has dropped from 73% in 2003 to 59% this year. (The Gallup Organization Press Release, May 19, 2005).

A recent CBS News Poll (April 17, 2005) found the pub­lic more even­ly split on the death penal­ty. In response to the ques­tion ​“What do you think should be the penal­ty for per­sons con­vict­ed of mur­der – the death penal­ty, life in prison with no chance of parole, or a long prison sen­tence with a chance of parole?”, only 39% chose the death penal­ty, 39% chose life with no parole, 6% said a long sen­tence with parole, and 13% vol­un­teered the answer ​“dep­nds.” (Roper Center at Univ. of Conn., May 17, 2005). See Public Opinion.

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