Society
Demographics

View of U.S. citizens on the legitimacy of the death penalty

Published by Statista Research Department, Oct 13, 2009

The statistic reflects the opinion of the surveyed U.S. residents on the legitimacy of the death penalty. 57 percent of respondents believe that the death penalty is now imposed in accordance with the law.

Do you think that the death penalty in the United States is now imposed in terms of legitimacy or not?

table column chart

Characteristic	Percentage of respondents
Yes, I think so	57%
No, I do not think that	34%

Loading statistic...

Details: United States; Gallup; 1,013 respondents; 18 years and older; Telephone interview

Download

Source

Gallup

Survey by

Gallup

Survey name

Gallup's annual Crime survey

Published by

Gallup

Source link

gallup.com

Release date

October 2009

Citation formats

Region

United States

Survey time period

10.01.2009 to 10.04.2009

Number of respondents

1,013 respondents

Age group

18 years and older

Method of interview

Telephone interview

Supplementary notes

The source does not provide information regarding the missing percentage points to 100 percent. During the survey, this question was posed as follows: "Generally speaking, do you believe the death penalty is applied fairly or unfailrly in this country today?"

Use Ask Statista Research Service

Why can't I see some content?

The visibility of data, sources, and other content depends on your account: Register and log in. You need one of our paid accounts to view all content. You need a Professional Account to view our forecasts.

How is the data collected?

Our statistics, surveys, and forecasts are based on the primary data gathered by our research teams and on secondary data from our partners. Find out more about our working method.

How up to date is the data?

The data our statistics are based on is updated on a regular basis. Update cycles depend on the topic. You can subscribe to notifications of updates of this statistic by clicking on the bell icon.

Where can I find the data of this statistic?

You can find information on the data of this statistic in the tab "Source", including a link to the source.

Am I allowed to publish the data?

You are only allowed to publish the data if you have a Professional or Enterprise Account.

Other statistics that may interest you

The most important statistics

U.S. citizens' view of the death penalty
U.S. citizens on the frequency of the death sentence 2023
Opinion of U.S. citizens on the death penalty 1936-2022
Most common reasons to oppose the death penalty in the U.S. 2014
Most common reasons to support the death penalty in the U.S. 2014
Number of U.S. probationers who exited supervision 2020, by type of exit
Number of U.S. parolees who exited supervision 2020, by type of exit
Most common last words spoken by inmates at execution in the U.S. 1976-2016
Rate of botched executions in the U.S. 1890-2010, by method
Number of victims of mass shootings in western democratic countries as of 2012

The most important statistics

Americans' moral stance towards the death penalty in 2023
U.S. number of domestic extremist-related killings 2009-2022
Police officers killed by domestic extremists U.S. 1971-2022, by affiliation
U.S. capital punishment - total executions 1976-2022, by state
U.S. capital punishment - executions per year 2000-2022
U.S. capital punishment - racial distribution of executed inmates 1976-2022
U.S. capital punishment - racial distribution of death row inmates 2023
U.S. capital punishment - total number of executions 1976-2022, by state
U.S. capital punishment - executions per year 2000-2021, by ethnicity
Deadliest attacks by domestic extremists U.S. 1970-2022, by number of fatalities

The most important statistics

Number of assault, rape, and murder cases in China 2012-2022
Number of homicide offenses in Russia 2000-2021
Incarceration rates in selected countries 2024
Number of violent deaths in Venezuela 2022, by type
Number of murders in Hungary 2009-2020
Number of cases raised in courts in Qatar by crime 2020
Mexico: homicides by presidential term 1990-2021
Number of homicide offences in the UK 2023, by region
Senior victims of family violence in Canada 2019, by type of offence
Number of intentional homicides in the EU by gender of victim 2019

The most important statistics

Number of Islamist extremist killings in the U.S. 2009-2021
U.S. capital punishment - executions 1976-2023, by method
U.S. capital punishment - death sentences 2020, by ethnicity
U.S. capital punishment - time elapsed between sentencing and execution 1990-2020
Number of prisoners removed from death row U.S. 2020, by ethnicity
U.S. capital punishment - number of prisoners executed 2020, by ethnicity
U.S. capital punishment - executions per year 1990-2020
U.S. capital punishment - number of prisoners executed 2020, by state
U.S. capital punishment - number of prisoners under sentence of death 2020, by state
U.S. capital punishment - share of prisoners with a death sentence 2020, by gender

Other statistics that may interest you Statistics on

About the industry

Basic Statistic U.S. citizens' view of the death penalty
Basic Statistic U.S. citizens on the frequency of the death sentence 2023
Basic Statistic Opinion of U.S. citizens on the death penalty 1936-2022
Premium Statistic Most common reasons to oppose the death penalty in the U.S. 2014
Basic Statistic Most common reasons to support the death penalty in the U.S. 2014
Basic Statistic Number of U.S. probationers who exited supervision 2020, by type of exit
Basic Statistic Number of U.S. parolees who exited supervision 2020, by type of exit
Premium Statistic Most common last words spoken by inmates at execution in the U.S. 1976-2016
Basic Statistic Rate of botched executions in the U.S. 1890-2010, by method
Basic Statistic Number of victims of mass shootings in western democratic countries as of 2012

About the region

Basic Statistic Americans' moral stance towards the death penalty in 2023
Premium Statistic U.S. number of domestic extremist-related killings 2009-2022
Premium Statistic Police officers killed by domestic extremists U.S. 1971-2022, by affiliation
Basic Statistic U.S. capital punishment - total executions 1976-2022, by state
Premium Statistic U.S. capital punishment - executions per year 2000-2022
Premium Statistic U.S. capital punishment - racial distribution of executed inmates 1976-2022
Premium Statistic U.S. capital punishment - racial distribution of death row inmates 2023
Premium Statistic U.S. capital punishment - total number of executions 1976-2022, by state
Premium Statistic U.S. capital punishment - executions per year 2000-2021, by ethnicity
Premium Statistic Deadliest attacks by domestic extremists U.S. 1970-2022, by number of fatalities

Other regions

Premium Statistic Number of assault, rape, and murder cases in China 2012-2022
Basic Statistic Number of homicide offenses in Russia 2000-2021
Basic Statistic Incarceration rates in selected countries 2024
Premium Statistic Number of violent deaths in Venezuela 2022, by type
Premium Statistic Number of murders in Hungary 2009-2020
Premium Statistic Number of cases raised in courts in Qatar by crime 2020
Basic Statistic Mexico: homicides by presidential term 1990-2021
Basic Statistic Number of homicide offences in the UK 2023, by region
Basic Statistic Senior victims of family violence in Canada 2019, by type of offence
Basic Statistic Number of intentional homicides in the EU by gender of victim 2019

Related statistics

Premium Statistic Number of Islamist extremist killings in the U.S. 2009-2021
Basic Statistic U.S. capital punishment - executions 1976-2023, by method
Premium Statistic U.S. capital punishment - death sentences 2020, by ethnicity
Basic Statistic U.S. capital punishment - time elapsed between sentencing and execution 1990-2020
Basic Statistic Number of prisoners removed from death row U.S. 2020, by ethnicity
Basic Statistic U.S. capital punishment - number of prisoners executed 2020, by ethnicity
Premium Statistic U.S. capital punishment - executions per year 1990-2020
Basic Statistic U.S. capital punishment - number of prisoners executed 2020, by state
Premium Statistic U.S. capital punishment - number of prisoners under sentence of death 2020, by state
Basic Statistic U.S. capital punishment - share of prisoners with a death sentence 2020, by gender

Further related statistics

Premium Statistic U.S. capital punishment - average time elapsed since sentencing
Basic Statistic Number of arrests in the U.S. for federal property offenses 2014, by type
Basic Statistic Least peaceful U.S. metropolitan areas 2012
Basic Statistic Homicide and population distribution 2010, by region
Premium Statistic Smoking among people with lifetime mental illness in the U.S. 2007
Basic Statistic Mean annual decline in maternal mortality 1990-2010 by world region
Premium Statistic Deaths from secondhand smoke - global distribution by region

Further Content: You might find this interesting as well

Statistics

U.S. capital punishment - average time elapsed since sentencing
Number of arrests in the U.S. for federal property offenses 2014, by type
Least peaceful U.S. metropolitan areas 2012
Homicide and population distribution 2010, by region
Smoking among people with lifetime mental illness in the U.S. 2007
Mean annual decline in maternal mortality 1990-2010 by world region
Deaths from secondhand smoke - global distribution by region

Topics

Death penalty in the United States

Violent crime in the U.S.

Property crime in the U.S.

Crime in the UK

Hate crime in the United States

Learn more about how Statista can support your business.

Gallup. (October 13, 2009). Do you think that the death penalty in the United States is now imposed in terms of legitimacy or not? [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 19, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/265040/view-of-us-citizens-on-the-legitimacy-of-the-death-penalty/

Gallup. "Do you think that the death penalty in the United States is now imposed in terms of legitimacy or not?." Chart. October 13, 2009. Statista. Accessed May 19, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/265040/view-of-us-citizens-on-the-legitimacy-of-the-death-penalty/

Gallup. (2009). Do you think that the death penalty in the United States is now imposed in terms of legitimacy or not?. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 19, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/265040/view-of-us-citizens-on-the-legitimacy-of-the-death-penalty/

Gallup. "Do You Think That The Death Penalty in The United States Is Now Imposed in Terms of Legitimacy or Not?." Statista, Statista Inc., 13 Oct 2009, https://www.statista.com/statistics/265040/view-of-us-citizens-on-the-legitimacy-of-the-death-penalty/

Gallup, Do you think that the death penalty in the United States is now imposed in terms of legitimacy or not? Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/265040/view-of-us-citizens-on-the-legitimacy-of-the-death-penalty/ (last visited May 19, 2024)

Do you think that the death penalty in the United States is now imposed in terms of legitimacy or not? [Graph], Gallup, October 13, 2009. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/265040/view-of-us-citizens-on-the-legitimacy-of-the-death-penalty/

Do you think that the death penalty in the United States is now imposed in terms of legitimacy or not?

Other statistics on the topicDeath penalty in the United States

Other statistics that may interest you

Other statistics that may interest you Statistics on

Further Content: You might find this interesting as well

Statistics

Topics

Other statistics on the topic
Death penalty in the United States