A recent poll by Quinnipiac University found that Ohioans sup­port life sen­tences over the death penal­ty for peo­ple con­vict­ed of mur­der. A total of 49% of respon­dents chose sen­tences of life with­out parole (40%) or life with parole (9%), com­pared to just 43% who chose the death penal­ty. The sur­vey also showed a 4‑point drop in death penal­ty sup­port in just the last three months. In February, 47% of respon­dents said they pre­ferred the death penal­ty. Death penal­ty sup­port was much low­er among blacks than among whites, with only 22% of blacks say­ing they pre­ferred the death penal­ty over the life-sen­tence options, com­pared to 46% of whites. Among var­i­ous age groups, younger peo­ple (age 18 – 29), showed the low­est sup­port for the death penal­ty (33%) when com­pared to life sentences.

When con­sid­ered abstract­ly with­out a choice of alter­na­tive sen­tences, 69% of Ohioans sup­port­ed capital punishment.

(P. Brown, ​“Ohio Gov Roars Past Little Known Challenger, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Support For Life Options Outweighs Death Penalty,” Quinnipiac University, May 14, 2014). See Public Opinion and Life Without Parole.

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