Attitudes toward death sentences in Kentucky

Using data collected in June, 1997 from a probability sample (N = 709) of Kentucky's adult population, the present study examines the factors influencing attitudes toward death penalty, in general, and for juvenile offenders, in particular. Factors associated with changes in support for the death penalty when alternative punitive measures are presented are also analyzed. Confirming the conclusion drawn from several previous studies, the findings indicate that attitudes toward capital punishment are complex and multidimensional. While the majority of the population investigated (69.4%) tend to favor the death penalty in general, only 42% of those interviewed favored death sentences for juvenile offenders, and only 38.2% of the respondents indicated support for death penalty when "life in prison without parole and restitution made to the victim's family" was suggested as a possible alternative sentence. Approximately 52.3% of those who tended to support capital punishment in general, manifested stability of their initial opinions.; Regression analysis coefficients show that socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents, as well as structural factors associated with the respondent's residential county (e.g., geographical location, rate of total offenses) are significantly related to support for the death penalty in general. Path analysis estimates indicate that attitudes toward capital punishment for juvenile crimes are strongly influenced by attitudes toward death penalty in general and also by personal and background characteristics of the respondents. Results indicate that the attitudinal change is primarily a function of demographic factors such as age, gender, and race.