In “Why Do White Americans Support the Death Penalty?,” American University researchers Joe Soss, Laura Langbein, and Alan Metelko examined whether racial attitudes play a role in white support for the death penalty. The researchers found that white support for the death penalty in the United States has strong ties to anti-black prejudice, and in some geographic areas racial prejudice emerges as the strongest predictor of white death penalty support. Soss, Joe, et al.: “Why Do White Americans Support the Death Penalty? “; 65 The Journal of Politics 397 (2003). See Race and Resources.
Citation Guide
- Death Penalty Information Center (2025, March 14). NEW RESOURCE: Researchers Find Prejudice Shapes Support for Death Penalty. Retrieved October 3, 2026, from https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/new-resource-researchers-find-prejudice-shapes-support-for-death-penalty
- Death Penalty Information Center. “NEW RESOURCE: Researchers Find Prejudice Shapes Support for Death Penalty.” Last modified March 14, 2025. Accessed October 3, 2026. https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/new-resource-researchers-find-prejudice-shapes-support-for-death-penalty.
- Death Penalty Information Center. “NEW RESOURCE: Researchers Find Prejudice Shapes Support for Death Penalty.” Death Penalty Information Center, 14 Mar. 2025, https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/new-resource-researchers-find-prejudice-shapes-support-for-death-penalty. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.