The Death Penalty for Juveniles: An Assessment of Public Support

Abstract

The United States is one of the few nations that permits the execution of offenders for murders committed while under the age of 18. The juvenile death penalty has received considerable media and public attention both nationally and internationally. Yet despite the extensive literature on public attitudes toward the death penalty, little research exists on public attitudes toward the juvenile death penalty. This article examines attitudes toward this penalty, using data collected in a telephone survey of two midwestern cities. A substantial majority of those surveyed opposed the death penalty for juveniles above the age of 14 convicted of murder. The implications of these findings are discussed.