NCJ Number
168655
Journal
Journal of Crime and Justice Volume: 20 Issue: 1 Dated: (1997) Pages: 179-190
Date Published
1997
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This article examines the influence of religious fundamentalism in various justice issues, including capital punishment.
Abstract
The recent rise in influence of religious leaders in the Republican party has been accompanied by a renewed interest in the role of religion in public policy issues, including capital punishment. The general finding of earlier research in Oklahoma is that belonging to a Fundamentalist denomination or endorsing a literal interpretation of the Bible is associated with support for capital punishment and other punitive policy proposals. The present research tested for the same relationship in Indiana. Findings suggest that the role of religion in attitudes toward capital punishment may not generalize beyond the Bible Belt. Respondents in Indiana were less likely to belong to a Fundamentalist denomination, yet more likely to support capital punishment than the Oklahoma respondents. Religion appeared to be equally salient among the two samples, yet its influence was never uncovered in the Indiana sample. Notes, references