Racial attitudes and opinions about capital punishment: Preliminary findings

Studies have persistently shown that support for the death penalty is higher among whites than among blacks. According to 1994 data from the General Social Survey, about 83 percent of whites compared to 57 percent of blacks favor the death penalty. This paper focuses on the sources of whites’ support for the death penalty. It investigates whether white support for the death penalty is influenced by racial attitudes toward blacks and perceptions associated with poor and economically disadvantaged groups. Data were used from the General Social Survey from 1974 to 1994. The findings show that support for the death penalty among whites is influenced, in part, by racial attitudes and perceptions associated with blacks. In addition, it was found that attitudes toward subordinate status groups and perceptions about the role of government in ameliorating the social and economic conditions of disadvantaged groups are significantly related to opinions about the death penalty.