Poll: Majority Of Americans Still Favor The Death Penalty

The controversy that led to the execution of Troy Davis, the man convicted of murdering a Georgia police officer, did little to nothing to sway the Americans’ opinions of the death penalty. 

According to a new Rasmussen Reports poll, six in ten Americans remain in favor of the death penalty. This figure mirrors poll results dating back to 2009 which showed that 61 to 63 percent of Americans favored the death penalty during that time period. 

Despite America’s firm stance on the issue, a growing number of voters have begun to worry that such a system could result in the death of innocent people. Poll figures found that 74 percent of Americans are at least somewhat concerned about the potential for wrongful deaths. 

Generally, Americans are split at 43 percent over whether or not they believe the death penalty serves as a crime deterrent. 

The survey of 1,000 adults was conducted on Sept. 23-24 and a margin of error of +/-3 percent.