{"id":354971,"date":"2026-08-06T14:02:20","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T18:02:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?p=354971"},"modified":"2026-08-13T17:54:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T21:54:01","slug":"most-americans-favor-the-death-penalty-for-those-convicted-of-murder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/politics\/2026\/08\/06\/most-americans-favor-the-death-penalty-for-those-convicted-of-murder\/","title":{"rendered":"Most Americans Favor the Death Penalty for Those Convicted of Murder"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Wide partisan gaps over whether capital punishment is morally justified, deters people from committing serious crimes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
About this research<\/summary>\n

This Pew Research Center analysis examines views of the death penalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did we do this?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Pew Research Center conducts research to help the public, media and decision-makers understand important topics. We have studied Americans\u2019 views of politics and major policy issues for decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about Pew Research Center.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did we do this?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We surveyed 3,554 U.S. adults from July 6 to 12, 2026. Everyone who took part in this survey is a member of the Center\u2019s American Trends Panel. The survey represents the views of the full U.S. adult population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the survey questions used for this analysis<\/a>, the detailed responses<\/a> and the survey methodology<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

As the Trump administration<\/a> and some states<\/a> seek to expand the application of the death penalty, about two-thirds of Americans (66%) now favor the death penalty for people convicted of murder, while nearly a third (32%) oppose it.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Majorities favor the death penalty and say it is morally justified, yet many do not think it deters serious crimes<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
% who __ the death penalty for persons convicted of murder<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n
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% who say \u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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Note: No answer responses are not shown.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted July 6-12, 2026.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
PEW RESEARCH CENTER<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
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Share this chart<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t