ABSTRACT
A majority of Americans have supported capital punishment for as long as there has been polling on this question. Recent research suggests, however, that support is becoming concentrated within a few subgroups. In this chapter, we review trends in support for capital punishment as well as research that examines variation in levels of support. We then discuss the ways that crime, racial animus, and the media affect support for capital punishment. We conclude with a discussion of avenues for future research aimed at understanding how attitudes towards capital punishment evolve in the United States.
