Public Opinion of Capital Punishment: An Intersectional Analysis of Race, Gender, and Class Effects. (December 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Trahan, Adam; Dixon, Andrekus; Nodeland, Brooke
• Is Part Of: Criminal justice review. Volume 44:Number 4(2019:Dec.)
• Page Start: 452
• Page End: 469
• Publication Date: 2019-12
• Subjects: capital punishment opinion -- intersections -- race -- gender -- class; Criminal justice, Administration of -- United States -- Periodicals; 345.05
• DOI: 10.1177/0734016818818687
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0734-0168

Abstract

Extant research on the demographic correlates of capital punishment opinion has separately analyzed race, gender, and class. Intersectionality has shown a flaw of this approach is that these characteristics overlap and interact to shape people's identities and opinions. Using data from the Cumulative File of the General Social Survey (1972–2016), we regressed capital punishment opinion on respondents' race, gender, and class intersections. Findings show wide variation in opposition to capital punishment. Implications of the findings, including the superiority of the intersectional approach, are discussed.