Pew Research Poll: Most Protestants are in Favor of the Death Penalty

From We are America the Beautiful blog on June 23, 2021

A recent Pew Research poll on Americans’ beliefs about the death penalty shows that most Americans who are Christian are in favor of this form of punishment for people convicted of murder. The numbers in favor vary by religious affiliation, race, and age. The majority of atheists and agnostics are opposed to the death penalty.

% Who Oppose the Death Penalty for People Convicted of Murder:

  • 37% - Religiously affiliated

  • 32% - Protestant

  • 23% - White Evangelical

  • 27% - White, not evangelical

  • 47% - Black Protestant

  • 41% - Catholic

  • 43% - White Catholic

  • 37% - Hispanic Catholic

  • 45% - Religiously unaffiliated

  • 65% - Atheist

  • 57% - Agnostic

  • 37% - Nothing in particular

Pew asked each respondent if they felt that the death penalty was morally justified or if it is morally wrong for those who were convicted of murder if the death penalty is a deterrent, if there is a risk of innocent people being convicted and put to death, and if there are safeguards in place to ensure that innocent people are not put to death.

The biggest divide was between atheists/agnostics and Protestants. Almost a majority of atheists and agnostics felt that the death penalty was morally wrong 51%/47%, that the death penalty is not a deterrent 76%/81%, and that there is some risk to innocent people being put to death 89%/90%.

In contrast, the number of Protestants for the same questions is very different. 29% believe that the death penalty is morally wrong; 56% believe that the death penalty is not a deterrent; 75% believe there is at least some risk that innocent people will be put to death. Black Protestants varied from their White counterparts - 42% believe the death penalty is morally wrong; 71% believe it is not a deterrent, and 82% believe that there is a risk of innocent people being put to death.

The death penalty is morally wrong even when a person commits murder:

  • 33% - US Adults

  • 32% - Religiously affiliated

  • 29% - Protestant

  • 22% - White evangelical

  • 22% - White non-evangelical

  • 42% - Black Protestant

  • 36% - Catholic

  • 35% - White Catholic

  • 35% - Hispanic Catholic

  • 37% - Religiously unaffiliated

  • 51% - Atheist

  • 47% - Agnostic

  • 31% - Nothing in particular

White evangelicals are the only religious group whose majority believes that the death penalty is a deterrent from committing serious crimes.

The death penalty does not deter people from committing serious crimes:

  • 63% - US Adults

  • 59% - Religiously affiliated

  • 56% - Protestant

  • 47% - White evangelical

  • 59% - White non-evangelical

  • 71% - Black Protestant

  • 65% - Catholic

  • 67% - White Catholic

  • 62% - Hispanic Catholic

  • 72% - Religiously unaffiliated

  • 76% - Atheist

  • 81% - Agnostic

  • 68% - Nothing in particular

There is some risk that an innocent person may be put to death:

  • 78% - US Adults

  • 76% - Religiously affiliated

  • 75% - Protestant

  • 70% - White evangelical

  • 78% - White non-evangelical

  • 82% - Black Protestant

  • 78% - Catholic

  • 76% - White Catholic

  • 81% - Hispanic Catholic

  • 82% - Religiously unaffiliated

  • 89% - Atheist

  • 90% - Agnostic

  • 78% - Nothing in particular

Is the death penalty equally applied by race? 88% of Black Protestants said that Black people are more likely to be put to death than White people for similar crimes, while 68% of White evangelicals said that Black and White people are equally sentenced to death.53% of White non-evangelicals and 47% of Catholics said that the death penalty is equally used in sentencing Blacks and Whites for similar crimes.

What do you think?

WAATB BlogBritney AchinWAATB