---
title: "Appendix: Additional charts"
description: "### Views of administration of capital punishment by age, education, and race and ethnicity"
date: "2026-08-06"
authors:
  - name: "J. Baxter Oliphant"
    job_title: "Senior Researcher "
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/baxter-oliphant/"
  - name: "Andy Cerda"
    job_title: "Research Analyst"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/andy-cerda/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2026/08/06/death-penalty-appendix-additional-charts/"
categories:
  - "Criminal Justice"
  - "Death Penalty"
  - "Uncategorized"
---

# Appendix: Additional charts

### Views of administration of capital punishment by age, education, and race and ethnicity

*% who say …*

| Group | The death penalty is morally wrong, even when someone commits a crime like murder | When someone commits a crime like murder, the death penalty is morally justified |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total | 28 | 68 |
| White | 25 | 73 |
| Hispanic | 33 | 61 |
| Black | 41 | 55 |
| Asian* | 26 | 72 |
| Ages 18-29 | 36 | 63 |
| 30-49 | 28 | 68 |
| 50-64 | 25 | 71 |
| 65+ | 26 | 70 |
| Postgraduate | 40 | 57 |
| College graduate | 33 | 66 |
| Some college | 25 | 72 |
| HS or less | 24 | 71 |
|  |  |  |
| Group | The death penalty DOES NOT deter people from committing serious crimes | The death penalty DOES deter people from committing serious crimes |
| Total | 59 | 39 |
| White | 59 | 40 |
| Hispanic | 58 | 38 |
| Black | 70 | 27 |
| Asian* | 43 | 54 |
| Ages 18-29 | 53 | 46 |
| 30-49 | 61 | 37 |
| 50-64 | 59 | 37 |
| 65+ | 60 | 37 |
| Postgraduate | 65 | 34 |
| College graduate | 61 | 37 |
| Some college | 60 | 38 |
| HS or less | 54 | 43 |
|  |  |  |
| Group | Black people are more likely than White people to be sentenced to the death penalty for committing similar crimes | White people and Black people are equally likely to be sentenced to the death penalty for committing similar crimes |
| Total | 49 | 48 |
| White | 40 | 58 |
| Hispanic | 56 | 40 |
| Black | 85 | 13 |
| Asian* | 59 | 36 |
| Ages 18-29 | 58 | 41 |
| 30-49 | 49 | 48 |
| 50-64 | 45 | 51 |
| 65+ | 47 | 51 |
| Postgraduate | 61 | 37 |
| College graduate | 57 | 41 |
| Some college | 46 | 51 |
| HS or less | 43 | 54 |
|  |  |  |
| Group | There is some risk that an innocent person will be put to death | There are adequate safeguards to ensure that no innocent person will be put to death |
| Total | 73 | 25 |
| White | 70 | 28 |
| Hispanic | 74 | 21 |
| Black | 82 | 16 |
| Asian* | 70 | 27 |
| Ages 18-29 | 78 | 21 |
| 30-49 | 74 | 23 |
| 50-64 | 69 | 28 |
| 65+ | 70 | 28 |
| Postgraduate | 80 | 18 |
| College graduate | 75 | 25 |
| Some college | 73 | 25 |
| HS or less | 68 | 28 |

* Asian adults are representative of English speakers only.Note: White, Black and Asian adults include those who report being one race and are not Hispanic; Hispanics are of any race. No answer responses are not shown.

Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted July 6-12, 2026.

### Supporters of the death penalty think it is morally justified for crimes like murder

*Among those who oppose/favor the death penalty, % who say …*

| Group | Topic | Favor death penalty | Oppose death penalty |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Total | The death penalty does deter people from committing serious crimes | 50 | 17 |
| Rep/Lean Rep | The death penalty does deter people from committing serious crimes | 59 | 33 |
| Dem/Lean Dem | The death penalty does deter people from committing serious crimes | 38 | 12 |
| Total | When someone commits a crime like murder, the death penalty is morally justified | 90 | 26 |
| Rep/Lean Rep | When someone commits a crime like murder, the death penalty is morally justified | 94 | 38 |
| Dem/Lean Dem | When someone commits a crime like murder, the death penalty is morally justified | 86 | 24 |
| Total | White people and Black people are equally like to be sentenced to the death penalty for committing similar crimes | 60 | 24 |
| Rep/Lean Rep | White people and Black people are equally like to be sentenced to the death penalty for committing similar crimes | 81 | 61 |
| Dem/Lean Dem | White people and Black people are equally like to be sentenced to the death penalty for committing similar crimes | 32 | 13 |
| Total | There are adequate safeguards to ensure that no innocent peorson will be put to death | 32 | 11 |
| Rep/Lean Rep | There are adequate safeguards to ensure that no innocent peorson will be put to death | 42 | 19 |
| Dem/Lean Dem | There are adequate safeguards to ensure that no innocent peorson will be put to death | 19 | 9 |

Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted July 6-12, 2026.

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**Next:** [Acknowledgments](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2026/08/06/death-penalty-acknowledgments.md)