The Misperception of Public Opinion Toward Capital Punishment
| Autor: | Marla Sandys, Edmund F. McGarrell |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 1996 |
| Předmět: |
Cultural Studies
Sociology and Political Science Social Psychology Punishment business.industry media_common.quotation_subject 050901 criminology 05 social sciences General Social Sciences Poison control Public policy Conservatism Public opinion Education Supreme court Political science Law Criminal law 0501 psychology and cognitive sciences 0509 other social sciences business Life imprisonment 050104 developmental & child psychology media_common |
| Zdroj: | American Behavioral Scientist. 39:500-513 |
| ISSN: | 1552-3381 0002-7642 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/0002764296039004012 |
| Popis: | Appellate courts in the United States, including the U.S. Supreme Court, have looked to public opinion and legislative trends to interpret the meaning of “evolving standards of decency” in determining whether capital punishment violates the Eighth Amendment's prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment. Bowers's spuriousness explanation of public support for capital punishment suggests that lawmakers and appellate judges have misinterpreted public sentiment. Specifically, although the public voices general support for the death penalty, that support vanishes when citizens are given the option of life in prison without possibility of parole coupled with a requirement of work and restitution. This research tests and finds support for Bowers's explanation with data from a sample of Indiana citizens. In addition, the study extends the model by presenting data from Indiana legislators showing that indeed lawmakers do misread the opinions of their constituents on this important issue. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|