Death Penalty Approval Drops to Lowest Level since 1972

[Tender Branson]

Good to see.

It's about time the US moves away from it.

Only a handful of states are now using it anymore, with the murder rate much lower in the states that do not use it.

Besides, it is no deterrent: Look at the drop in homicide rates in NY, HI and TX for example over the past 30 years. In NY and HI, which do not have/had the death penalty, the murder rate dropped by the same amount, if not more, than in TX - which strongly executed people during the past 30 years.

Also, better not have it than have it because if someone's killed by the state who isn't guilty, the innocent person is forever dead.

[Person Man]

Meh, considering how useless and absurd the death penalty is in the US, this is a good thing.

[politicallefty]

Even if one doesn't have moral disapproval to state-sanctioned killing, it's very hard to see how anyone can make the case that the death penalty in the United States makes for good policy. As with most issues, the South is the most backwards. I believe it accounts for 80-90% of all executions in this country. The only way I could see the death penalty end in the US is through the judiciary.

[Vosem]

Unfortunate

It's at 60%. What do you want, 100% support?

The trend is the unfortunate part. The number's satisfactory -- didn't Governor Hickenlooper's approval rating in Colorado tank earlier this year over death-penalty-related issues?