NCJ Number
185743
Journal
Justice Quarterly Volume: 17 Issue: 4 Dated: December 2000 Pages: 663-684
Editor(s)
Finn-Aage Esbensen
Date Published
December 2000
Length
22 pages
Annotation
Using a statewide sample of 539 Tennessee residents, this survey of the extent to which the public supported the death penalty for juveniles found most respondents favored juvenile capital punishment.
Abstract
Respondents for the mail survey were randomly selected from a statewide address database of Tennessee residents. Of 1,500 surveys mailed, 539 responses were considered usable. Male and female respondents were nearly equal in number, 92 percent of respondents were white, and the mean age was 53 years. Respondents were asked to report whether they strongly favored, somewhat favored, somewhat opposed, or strongly opposed the death penalty for juveniles under 18 years of age who were convicted of first degree murder. Respondents were also asked to indicate what they believed should be the minimum age at which a juvenile could be sentenced to death for first degree murder. The analysis revealed a majority of respondents favored juvenile capital punishment, often for even young offenders. Most importantly, as an alternative to juvenile capital punishment, nearly two-thirds of the sample favored life in prison without the possibility of parole (LWOP); 80 percent favored a life sentence with work and restitution requirements. Notably, even among those who endorsed juvenile capital punishment, a clear majority supported LWOP and work and restitution. Although the public was willing to execute juveniles who committed first degree murder, a preference was indicated for alternative sentencing options that avoided putting young people to death. 50 references, 6 tables, and 1 figure