---
title: 'PUBLIC OPINION: Support for Death Penalty Weak Among Blacks and Hispanics'
description: 'According to new polling analysis from the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, support for the death penalty among the general public has dropped to 62%…'
canonical: 'https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/public-opinion-support-for-death-penalty-weak-among-blacks-and-hispanics'
section: news
date: '2007-12-22T01:47:43-05:00'
updated: '2025-03-14T14:24:56-04:00'
source: 'Death Penalty Information Center'
---

According to new polling analysis from the **Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life**, support for the death penalty among the general public has dropped to 62% (August 2007), down from a high of 80% support in the mid-1990s. Among black respondents, 51% opposed the death penalty and only 40% were in favor. Hispanics were about evenly split with 48% in favor of the death penalty and 47% opposed. Eighty-two (82%) percent of conservative Republicans support the death penalty, but only 41% of liberal Democrats. Among religious groups, white evangelical Protestants had the highest support--74%.

(See [**Pew Forum**](https://www.pewforum.org/2007/12/19/an-enduring-majority-americans-continue-to-support-the-death-penalty/), December 19, 2007). See [**Public Opinion**](/public-opinion-about-death-penalty?did=209&scid=23). In polls that ask respondents to compare the death penalty with a sentence of life without parole, support for the death penalty is considerably lower, and often below support for full life sentences.