Citation

Bohm RM. J. Crim. Justice 1989; 17(2): 123-131.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1989, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0047-2352(89)90005-6

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This teaching note examines the influence on death penalty opinions of participation in a college class on the death penalty. The month-long, forty-hour class included regular instruction and discussion, as well as five guest speakers with differing experiences and opinions about capital punishment. At the beginning of the class, eighty-two percent of the fifty students favored the death penalty for some people convicted of first-degree murder and eighteen percent were opposed. By the end of the class, fifty-six percent of the students were in favor, forty-two percent were opposed, and two percent were undecided. At the completion of the class, blacks were the only group to oppose the death penalty (67 percent). Comments by students and suggestions for modifying the classroom experience are provided.