A recent Mason-Dixon Polling & Research sur­vey of Maryland vot­ers found that 63% believe that life with­out the pos­si­bil­i­ty of parole is an accept­able sub­sti­tute for the death penal­ty. Only 21% stat­ed that they believe it is not an accept­able alter­na­tive to the death penal­ty, and 16% were not sure. The poll, spon­sored by the Maryland Catholic Conference, revealed that among women, 66% believe the alter­na­tive sen­tence of life with­out parole is an accept­able sub­sti­tute for cap­i­tal pun­ish­ment. Among black respon­dents, the num­ber agree­ing with the state­ment reg­is­tered at 69%. In response to the more gen­er­al ques­tion of whether vot­ers sup­port or oppose the death penal­ty itself, 56% said they sup­port it, 35% oppose cap­i­tal pun­ish­ment, and 9% are unsure. The sup­port is well below the com­pa­ra­ble num­bers nation­al­ly. The poll took place February 22 – 24, 2005, and includ­ed respons­es from 625 reg­is­tered Maryland vot­ers. (Maryland Poll Results, Maryland Catholic Conference, March 2005). 

See Public Opinion and Life Without Parole.

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